U.S. stock index futures were flat Thursday as investors digested a handful of weaker-than-expected economic data against upbeat earnings report from Cisco.
European shares closed flat-to-lower on Thursday, pressured by downbeat data from the U.S. that included a jump in jobless claims and a drop in housing starts.
The Shanghai Composite rallied over 1 percent on Thursday as investors cheered news of easing regulations while Japan's Nikkei index closed off its five-and-a-half year peak after data showed that capital spending fell for a fifth straight month.