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markets, click or type LIVE/ in a news window.)

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Futures up: Dow 0.03%, S&P 500 0.16%, Nasdaq 0.15%

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Datadog ( DDOG ) gains after annual profit, revenue forecast raise

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Qualcomm ( QCOM ) dips after warning of business loss from Samsung

(Updates with quote, prices)

By Twesha Dikshit and Purvi Agarwal

Nov 6 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were flat to

slightly higher on Thursday, as investors digested a slew of

corporate earnings, while uncertainty around surging valuations

in tech companies and mixed economic data kept a lid on gains.

Markets took comfort from broadly positive quarterly

earnings. Datadog ( DDOG ) advanced 9.1% before the bell after

the cloud security firm raised its annual profit and revenue

forecasts.

Moderna ( MRNA ) gained 5.2% after the vaccine maker posted

a smaller-than-expected third-quarter loss.

However, Qualcomm ( QCOM ) dipped 1.9% after the chip

designer warned of a possible loss of business next year from

its key customer, Samsung, but forecast quarterly sales and

profit above market expectations.

The S&P 500 and the Nasdaq had logged their steepest

intraday drops in close to a month on Tuesday after warnings of

a market pullback from Wall Street executives sparked a sell-off

in AI-linked stocks that have powered equities to record highs

this year.

Investors were worried about stretched valuations in big

tech and AI companies, a lack of clarity on U.S. labor market

health and the probability of the Federal Reserve not cutting

interest rates in December, according to David Morrison, senior

market analyst at Trade Nation.

"This could be a warning that a significant correction is

coming... alternatively, it could turn out to be another 'dip

buying' opportunity," Morrison added.

Some positive earnings reports and better-than-expected

economic data, however, steadied markets on Wednesday.

At 07:35 a.m. ET, Dow E-minis were up 15 points, or

0.03%, S&P 500 E-minis were up 11 points, or 0.16%, and

Nasdaq 100 E-minis were up 37.75 points, or 0.15%.

The longest U.S. government shutdown in history has led to

investors and the Federal Reserve flying blind ahead of the next

rate decision and to rely on private sector indicators.

In contrast to Wednesday's ADP report that showed a rebound

in private U.S. jobs last month, global outplacement company

Challenger, Gray & Christmas said on Thursday layoffs announced

by U.S. employers surged in October, marking the highest level

for the month in 22 years.

Traders are now pricing in a 65% chance of a 25-basis-point

rate cut in December, lower than 72% a week earlier, according

to the CME Group's FedWatch tool.

With a slew of Federal Reserve officials scheduled to speak

later in the day, traders will closely parse commentary for

hints on the monetary policy path.

EARNINGS CHUG ON

The third-quarter earnings season continued in full steam,

with 83% of the 379 S&P 500 companies that reported through

Wednesday topping analysts' earnings estimates, as per data

compiled by LSEG. Typically, 67% of S&P 500 companies beat

estimates.

DoorDash ( DASH ) slumped 11.8% after the delivery firm

reported third-quarter profit below Wall Street expectations on

rising expenses.

Cosmetics-maker Elf Beauty ( ELF ) forecast annual sales and

profit below expectations, sending its shares down 21.3%.

Snap rose 19.3% after the social media firm beat

third-quarter revenue estimates and announced a partnership with

Perplexity AI.

In other moves, Marvell Technology ( MRVL ) gained 8.5%

after Bloomberg News reported SoftBank explored a potential

takeover of company.