09:13 AM EDT, 05/16/2025 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were edging higher pre-bell Friday as traders digested a string of economic data, including a report on the country's housing market.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures, S&P 500 futures, and Nasdaq futures were all up around 0.2%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.6% at $64.90 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 0.6% higher at $61.51 per barrel.

US housing starts, released at 8:30 am ET, rose to 1.361 million in April from 1.339 million in the preceding month, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for a rise to 1.36 million. Meanwhile, permits dropped to 1.412 million from 1.481 million in March, compared with estimates for a drop to 1.45 million.

Import prices and export prices, also released at 8:30 am ET, both gained by 0.1% in April compared with estimates for declines of 0.3% and 0.4%, respectively.

Forecasters see the University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index, due at 10 am ET, coming in at 53.1 in May versus 52.2 previously.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed down 1.8%, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.5% lower, and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.4% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 increased 0.3%, Germany's DAX index gained 0.2%, France's CAC 40 was up 0.1% and Spain's IBEX 35 was up 0.6% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Caterpillar ( CAT ) were 0.8% higher pre-bell after UBS upgraded its rating on the stock to neutral with a $357 price target. TSS (TSSI) stock was up 47%, a day after the company posted higher Q1 earnings and revenue.

On the losing side, Globant ( GLOB ) shares slumped 30% after the company reported late Thursday lower Q1 adjusted earnings and cut its 2025 financial guidance. Doximity ( DOCS ) shares fell 17%, a day after the company issued revenue guidance for fiscal Q1 and fiscal 2026 that trailed analysts' projections.