* U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on WallStreet on Thursday, with futures for the S&P 500 SPc1
jimmy choo , the DowJones DJc1 and the Nasdaq 100 NDc1 up 0.1 to 0.3 percent.
* News Corp secured UK government backing for itscontroversial buyout of BSkyB on Thursday after theminister responsible rejected complaints the move would giveRupert Murdoch too much power and influence.
* The Labor Department releases at 1230 GMT first-timeclaims for jobless benefits for the week ended June 25.Economists forecast a total of 420
jimmy choo ,000 new filings compared with429,000 in the prior week.
* AMR Corp's American Airlines is negotiating withaircraft makers Airbus and Boeing Co to replaceits entire domestic fleet by purchasing at least 250 airplanesin a deal valued at about $15 billion, the Wall Street Journalreported.
* The Institute for Supply Management-New York releases at1230 GMT June index of regional business activity. In May, the
index read 534.0.
* At 1345 GMT
jimmy choo Custom NFL Jerseys Reporting by Mayumi Negishi, the Institute of Supply Management Chicagoreleases June index of manufacturing activity. Economists in a
Reuters survey forecast a June reading of 54.0 comparedwith 56.6 in May.
* Greece's government expects to pass a second austeritybill on Thursday to pull the country back from default bysecuring more EU and IMF funds.
* The Federal Reserve ends its $600 billion bond-buyingprogram, known as QE2, on Thursday and has yet to offer anyhints of more monetary easing to come.
* Eli Lilly and Co is committed to spending what ittakes to come up with innovative drugs over the long term, itschief executive said, even though the company's earnings areexpected to tumble over the next three years.
* Companies reporting results include Apollo Group ,Darden Restaurants Inc and McCormick & Co Inc
.
* The Dow Jones industrial average gained 72.73points, or 0.60 percent, to 12,261.42 on Wednesday. The Standard& Poor's 500 Index rose 10.74 points, or 0.83 percent, to1,307.41. The Nasdaq Composite Index added 11.18 points,or 0.41 percent
jimmy choo , to 2,740.49.
* The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 index of topshares was up 0.2 percent on Thursday, while Japan's Nikkeiaverage closed 0.2 percent higher. (Reporting by Atul Prakash; Editing by Hans-Juergen Peters)
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