09:02 AM EDT, 06/20/2024 (MT Newswires) -- US equity futures were cautiously mixed ahead of Thursday's opening bell as traders returned from the Juneteenth holiday break and digested a slate of economic data.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.06%, S&P 500 futures increased 0.3%, and Nasdaq futures were up 0.4%.

Oil prices were higher, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude up 0.5% at $85.48 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude up 0.3% at $80.95 per barrel.

Housing starts, released at 8:30 am ET, fell to a 1.277 million annual rate in May from April's 1.352 million rate, compared with estimates compiled by Bloomberg for an increase to 1.37 million; while permits dropped to 1.386 million for the same months from 1.44 million previously versus estimates for 1.45 million.

New unemployment claims dropped to 238,000 in the week ended June 15 from 243,000 in the preceding week, compared with estimates for a larger drop to 235,000. The Philadelphia Fed manufacturing index came in at 1.3 in June versus May's 4.5 and estimates for 5.0.

In other world markets, Japan's Nikkei closed 0.2% higher, Hong Kong's Hang Seng ended 0.5% lower and China's Shanghai Composite finished 0.4% lower. Meanwhile, the UK's FTSE 100 gained 0.3%, and Germany's DAX index increased 0.5% in Europe's early afternoon session.

In equities, shares of Accenture ( ACN ) were 8% higher pre-bell after the company agreed to acquire Italy-based network services company Fibermind.

On the losing side, Winnebago Industries ( WGO ) shares fell 5% after the company posted lower fiscal Q3 adjusted earnings and revenue.