Wall Street edges up as weekly jobless claims fall

U.S. stocks advanced modestly on Thursday, as data showing improvement in the labor market helped fuel expectations the economy continues to recover and spurred a small rotation towards stocks seen as more likely to benefit from the rebound.

Futures gain as Fed calms inflation worries

U.S. stock index futures rose on Wednesday after remarks from Federal Reserve officials helped calm inflation worries, while a recent dip in bond yields supported Nasdaq futures climb for a third straight session.