09:10 AM EDT, 07/03/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US stocks are set to open higher in Thursday's trading session as investors parse employment data that came in better than expected.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.1%, S&P 500 futures gained 0.2%, and Nasdaq futures were rising 0.3%.

Oil prices were slightly lower, with front-month global benchmarks Brent crude and West Texas Intermediate crude declining 0.3% and 0.2%, respectively.

The unemployment rate declined to 4.1% in June from 4.2% in May, and below analyst forecasts of 4.3%, according to Bloomberg. Initial jobless claims were down to 233,000 for the week, compared with analysts' expectations of 240,000. And nonfarm payrolls rose to 147,000 in June from 144,000 in May, well ahead of analysts' forecasts of 111,000.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei edged 0.06% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng declined 0.6%, and China's Shanghai Composite was up 0.2%. Meanwhile in Europe's early afternoon session, the UK's FTSE 100 was rising 0.6%, while Germany's DAX gained 0.07% and France's CAC 40 edged 0.03% lower.

In equities, shares of Global Interactive Technologies ( GITS ) soared 146% in Thursday's premarket, adding to a 16% gain on Wednesday. Shares of Empro Group's ( EMPG ) jumped 38% a day after its debut on the Nasdaq. CapsoVision ( CV ) shares surged 41%, more than wiping out a 30% loss the previous session. FiEE ( MINM ) stock advanced 31% after the company said Wednesday that it signed an asset purchase deal with Suzhou Yixuntong Network Technology to buy intellectual property and fixed assets for $1.4 million. And Windtree Therapeutics ( WINT ) shares climbed 22%, adding to a 40% gain the previous session.

On the losing side, shares of Netcapital ( NCPL ) tumbled 31% after it said Thursday that it launched a registered direct offering of 714,286 shares at $7 per share. Inovio Pharmaceuticals ( INO ) stock lost 31% after it said Thursday that it priced a public offering of stocks and warrants at $1.75 each for gross proceeds of $25 million. Sonnet BioTherapeutics ( SONN ) shares dropped 16% after soaring 243% Wednesday. Earlyworks ( ELWS ) stock fell 10% after advancing 67% the previous session. And Blue Gold ( BGL ) shares dropped 5% after rallying 85% the previous session.