08:58 AM EST, 12/26/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were cautiously lower ahead of Thursday's opening bell as traders digested jobless claims data following the Christmas holiday break.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, S&P 500 futures and Nasdaq futures were all down 0.4%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.7% at $73.62 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude up 0.8% at $70.66 per barrel.

New unemployment claims, released at 8:30 am ET, dropped to 219,000 in the week ended Dec. 21 from 220,000 in the preceding week, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a rise to 223,000.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 1.1% higher, and China's Shanghai Composite ended 0.1% higher. The Hong Kong, UK and German markets were closed for holiday.

In equities, Zoomcar Holdings ( ZCAR ) shares surged 106% after the company reported a 43% year-on-year growth in November bookings.