NEW YORK (Reuters) – Stock index futures held gains on Thursday after the government said new U.S. claims for unemployment benefits rose slightly last week.
* S&P 500 futures rose 13.3 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 84 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 24.5 points.