Dow Futures 155 Pts Lower; Jobless Claims, PPI in Focus By Investing.com – Investing.com

Dow Futures 155 Pts Lower; Jobless Claims, PPI in Focus By Investing.com – Investing.com

© Reuters

By Peter Nurse

Investing.com - U.S. stocks are seen opening lower Thursday, adding to Wednesday’s sharp losses amid rising concerns the Federal Reserve may pare back its ultra-easy monetary policies sooner rather than later.

At 7:05 AM ET (1205 GMT), the contract was down 155 points, or 0.4%, traded 11 points, or 0.3%, lower, and dropped 35 points, or 0.3%.

The blue-chip on Wednesday fell almost 700 points, or 2%, its weakest day since January, the lost 2.1%, its biggest one-day drop since February, while the tech-heavy slid 2.6%. 

This has been Wall Street’s worst week in six months on concerns increased inflation levels will pressure the Fed into raising interest rates more promptly than the central bank has guided.

The economic data slate also commands attention Thursday, with the weekly , at 8:30 AM ET (1230 GMT), the main release, especially after last week’s disappointing for April and record numbers earlier this week.

Economists are calling for 490,000 initial claims, below 500,000 for the second straight week, helped by the ramped-up vaccination program and widespread easing of social distancing restrictions. 

The latest factory gate price data are due