US market futures pointed to a slightly higher opening for Thursday after Wednesday's regular session sent investors on a roller coaster. The Dow found its way back from a 566-point deficit to end the day down about 250 points.
A plunge in oil prices helped spur the massive sell-off, and that issue could bubble over again Thursday, after unexpectedly large inventories just surfaced.
Stocks erased Wednesday's huge intraday losses with buyers jumping into momentum and other downtrodden names.
The Russell 2000, which has been in bear market territory, was the first major U.S. index to turn positive, followed by the Nasdaq, temporarily positive, as buyers nibbled on tech and biotech. The iShares Nasdaq Biotech ETF was up 3.5 percent.
—CNBC's Patti Domm contributed reporting.