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Futures up: Dow 0.11%, S&P 500 0.05%, Nasdaq 0.05%

June 5 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures edged higher

on Thursday as investors looked ahead to the monthly jobs report

to gauge the impact of President Donald Trump's trade policies

on the labor market and the Federal Reserve's interest rate

trajectory.

Following Wednesday's weaker-than-expected U.S. private jobs

and services sector data, Friday's non-farm payrolls report will

come under sharp scrutiny as investors fear that Trump's erratic

trade policies will drive a slowdown in economic growth.

The data comes ahead of the Fed's policy decision later this

month, where policymakers are widely expected to hold interest

rates. Traders currently see at least two rate cuts by the end

of this year, as per pricing in money markets.

Despite continued calls from Trump to slash interest rates,

Fed Chair Jerome Powell has opted to stand pat so far, awaiting

further data to help dictate the policy decision as tariff

volatility prevails.

On Wednesday, Washington's doubled tariffs on imported steel

and aluminum came to effect and it also marked Trump's deadline

for trading partners to make their best offers to avoid other

punishing import levies from taking effect in early July.

Investors focused on tariff negotiations between Washington

and trading partners, with Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping

expected to speak sometime this week as tensions simmer between

the world's two biggest economies.

U.S. equities rallied sharply in May, with investors

boosting the S&P 500 index and the tech-heavy Nasdaq

to their biggest monthly percentage gain since November

2023, thanks to a softening of Trump's harsh trade stance and

upbeat earnings reports.

The S&P 500 remains nearly 3% below record highs touched in

February.

Data scheduled for Thursday include initial jobless claims

and international trade data at 08:30 a.m. ET.

U.S. central bank officials including Fed Board Governor

Adriana Kugler, Fed Kansas City President Jeffrey Schmid and Fed

Philadelphia President Patrick Harker are scheduled to speak

later in the day.

At 5:53 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 45 points, or

0.11%, S&P 500 E-minis were up 3 points, or 0.05%.

Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 10 points, or 0.05%

Most megacap and growth stocks were mixed in premarket

trading. Tesla fell 1.7%.

Among early movers, shares of MongoDB ( MDB ) jumped nearly

15% after the software company gave an upbeat annual forecast

and reported quarterly results above estimates.