-- Wall Street futures pointed moderately lower pre-bell Thursday as global crude prices sustained gains, and as traders weighed reports of continued hostilities in the Persian Gulf.
After fresh all-time zeniths were struck on Wednesday, the S&P 500 fell 0.5%, and the Nasdaq also declined 0.5%, in the futures. The Dow Jones was off 0.7%.
With the Strait of Hormuz still blocked, West Texas Intermediate crude oil traded up 1.6% to $94.43 a barrel in morning action.
Asian exchanges traded mostly lower overnight, while European bourses tracked moderately lower midday on the continent.
United Rentals (URI) traded up 13.7% pre-bell after the equipment-rental outfit reported Q1 EPS and revenue above consensus, and issued upbeat guidance, late Wednesday.
Thermo Fisher Scientific (TMO) traded down 4.7% pre-bell after the lab-equipment maker reported fiscal Q1 EPS and revenue above expectations, but issued tempered guidance, in pre-bell hours.
On the economic calendar is the weekly jobless claims report at 8:30 am ET, along with the Chicago Fed National Activity Index for March.
The S&P Global flash US composite purchasing managers index (PMI) release logs at 9:45 am.
The weekly EIA natural gas report posts at 10:30 am, followed by the Kansas City Fed Manufacturing Index for April at 11 am.
In premarket action, Bitcoin traded at $77,307 and 10-year US Treasuries offered 4.32%. Spot gold commanded $4,688 an ounce.