Stock index futures edged higher on Thursday as investors awaited results from technology bellwether Intel Corp and a report on December U.S. retail sales, a day after the Dow index rose to a fresh 15-month high. Intel kicks off the start of technology-sector earnings after the bell, with some analysts concerned the shares may sell

The U.S. unemployment rate, currently at 10 percent, is unlikely to drop below 8 percent before 2012 unless Congress takes further steps to boost the economy in the short term, the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said on Thursday. The estimate is likely to give increased urgency to Democratic lawmakers' efforts to create jobs before they

European shares rose in afternoon trade on Thursday, supported by gains in banks and drugmakers, after the European Central Bank kept interest rates on hold as expected, while investors awaited earnings from U.S. firms. By 1316 GMT, the pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 rose 0.6 percent at 1,063.33 points, gaining for the second straight session. Banks were

Investors moved past concerns about weakening demand from China on Thursday, upping their exposure to risk in bets on a global upturn that lifted stocks and higher-yielding currencies. Corporate earnings remained clearly in focus, however, with Intel results due later in the day and JPMorgan on Friday. China rattled investors earlier in the week by

Britain's leading share index gained 0.7 percent on Thursday as robust output numbers from Rio Tinto buoyed mining stocks, while banks and oils were stronger as investors bought on the dips following two days of weakness. At 0920 GMT the FTSE 100 was up 38.29 points at 5,511.77, bucking a two-session losing streak, after China's

U.S. stock index futures pointed to a mixed open on Wall Street on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 up 0.11 percent, Dow Jones futures unchanged and Nasdaq 100 futures down 0.11 percent at 4 a.m. EST. On the earnings front, chipmaker Intel (INTC.O) is scheduled to post quarterly results after the bell on

China defended its extensive censorship and brushed aside hacking claims on Thursday, telling companies not to buck state control of the Internet after U.S. search giant Google threatened to quit the country. The Google dispute could stoke tensions between China and the United States, already at odds over the value of the yuan currency, trade

Investors moved past concerns about weakening demand from China on Thursday, upping their exposure to risk in bets on a global upturn that lifted stocks and higher-yielding currencies. Corporate earnings remained clearly in focus, however, with Intel results due later in the day and JPMorgan on Friday. China rattled investors earlier in the week by

The European Union must streamline its trade policy and take the lead in reaching a new global trade deal, a Brussels think-tank said on Thursday. A forthcoming report by the European Centre for International Political Economy (ECIPE) argues the EU should concentrate on a few strategic priorities rather than long wish lists in trade. "Unwinding

Cyprus and Israel signed on Wednesday a bilateral agreement no commercial shipping. The agreement was signed in Nicosia, by Cyprus' Minister of Communications and Works Nicos Nicolaides and Israeli Deputy Prime Minister and Ministers of Foreign Affairs Avigdor Liberman, who is paying an official visit to Cyprus. The agreement, inter alia, covers the equal treatment