US Stock Futures Down As Investors Await Jobless Claims Data, GM Earnings

US stock futures are lower this morning, as investors are awaiting earnings from General Motors Co (NYSE: GM) and weekly jobless claims data. Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average dipped 44 points to 11,774.00 and S&P 500 index futures fell 5.20 points to 1,249.30. Nasdaq 100 futures dropped 11.00 points to 2,291.50.

US stocks closed higher on Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average rising 0.25% to 11,896.44, the S&P 500 index gaining 0.50% to 1,260.34 and the Nasdaq 100 index surging 0.89% to 2,693.07.

Data on weekly jobless claims will be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.

General Motors Company is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $1.20 on revenue of $36.71 billion. DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV) is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.85 on revenue of $6.54 billion. Fortune Brands Inc (NYSE: FO) is estimated to report its Q2 EPS at $0.98 on revenue of $1.94 billion.

Alpha Natural Resources Inc (NYSE: ANR) is expected to report its Q2 EPS at $1.12 on revenue of $1.47 billion. Kraft Foods Inc (NYSE: KFT) is projected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.58 on revenue of $13.15 billion.

Southwest Airlines Company (NYSE: LUV) is expected to report its Q2 EPS at $0.20 on revenue of $4.16 billion. Cardinal Health Inc (NYSE: CAH) is projected to report its Q4 EPS at $0.58 on revenue of $26.13 billion. CVS Caremark Corporation (NYSE: CVS) is estimated to report its Q2 earnings at $0.64 per share on revenue of $26.76 billion.

Zumiez Inc (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) reported a 4.9% rise in its July sales at stores open at least one year. However, analysts were expecting an increase of 7.5%.

Activision Blizzard Inc (NASDAQ: ATVI) reported its Q2 profit at $335 million, or $0.29 per share, up from $219 million, or $0.17 per share, in the year-ago quarter. Activision Blizzard's adjusted profit came in at $0.10 per share. Its revenue came in at $699 million. However, analysts were expecting earnings of 0.05 per share on revenue of $599.32 million.

The European Central Bank is expected to leave its interest rates on hold.

European markets were mostly higher today. The STOXX Europe 600 Index gained 0.09%, London's FTSE 100 Index moved down 0.60%, French CAC 40 index rose 0.31% and German DAX 30 index gained 0.48%.

Asian markets ended mixed, with Japan's Nikkei Stock Average gaining 0.1952%, Australia's S&P/ASX 200 moving down 1.26% and China's Shanghai Composite rising 0.21%. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index fell 0.4910% and India's Sensex dipped 1.41%.

The US dollar surged 3.6% versus the Japanese yen to trade at ¥79.93. The dollar index jumped 1.32% to 74.89.