09:23 AM EDT, 07/17/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were edging higher ahead of Thursday's opening bell as traders digested a deluge of economic data, including weekly jobless claims and June retail sales.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were 0.1% higher, S&P 500 futures were 0.1% higher, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.3%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.4% at $68.84 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.7% higher at $66.88 per barrel.

The jobless claims report, released at 8:30 am ET, showed new unemployment claims fell to 221,000 in the week ended July 12 from 228,000 in the preceding week, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for an increase to 233,000. The June Retail Sales bulletin showed a 0.6% increase following a 0.9% decline in prior month, compared with estimates for a smaller 0.1% gain. US import prices increased by 0.1% in June versus estimates for a 0.3% gain, while export prices increased by 0.5% versus estimates for a no change.

The May Business Inventories bulletin, slated for 10 am ET, is expected to show a no change for the month. The Housing Market Index is seen coming in at 33 for July versus 32 in June.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.6% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.08% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.4% higher. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.3% and Germany's DAX index was up 0.9% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing ( TSM ) were 3.7% higher pre-bell after the company reported higher Q2 earnings and sales. PepsiCo ( PEP ) stock was up 5.7% after the company posted fiscal Q2 core earnings and revenue that topped analysts' estimates and lifted its fiscal 2025 core profit outlook.

On the losing side, NioCorp Developments ( NB ) shares were 13% lower after the company said late Wednesday it launched a proposed public offering of common shares in the US.