Stock futures signal mixed open for equities

* Data at 1230 GMT is expected to show that U.S. companies stepped up hiring in June as the economy recovered from a stumble in recent months, although job growth was not expected to be strong enough to eat into high unemployment.

* Nonfarm payrolls are forecast to have risen by 90,000, according to a Reuters survey conducted last week. In May, employment rose a paltry 54,000. Many economists raised their forecasts on Thursday after a stronger-than-expected reading on U.S. private hiring from payrolls processor ADP, and they now expect gains of anywhere between 125,000 and 175,000.

* Caterpillar Inc , the world's largest maker of heavy equipment, said China's regulator had approved its acquisition of U.S. mining equipment firm Bucyrus International , paving the way for the company to complete a deal announced in November.

* The Commerce Department releases wholesale inventories for May at 1400 GMT. Economists forecast May inventories to rise 0.7 percent versus a 0.8 percent increase in April.

* At 1430 GMT, Economic Cycle Research Institute (ECRI) releases its weekly index of economic activity for July 1. In the prior week the index read 126.4.

* In a startling response to the scandal engulfing Rupert Murdoch's media empire, the British newspaper arm of News Corp announced it would publish the 168-year-old News of the World for the last time this weekend.

* The IMF executive board on Friday is expected to approve the disbursement of just over 3 billion euros for Greece, in time to help the country pay debts falling due this month.

* President Barack Obama told top U.S. lawmakers on Thursday he would not sign a short-term extension of the U.S. debt ceiling and said negotiators would work through the weekend on a deal to avoid a debt default.

* Air France-KLM hopes to announce the results of a contest between Airbus and Boeing to supply the European airline with wide-bodied jets during the summer, its chief executive said on Thursday.

* Newport Corp , a U.S. manufacturer and distributor of precision components, is to buy Israeli group Ophir Optronics for $230 million, to strengthen Newport's position in thermal imaging products.

* Google Inc is leaving open the door to more co-operation with social-media giants Facebook and Twitter, and believes there is room for multiple social networks as it rolls out its own, executive chairman Eric Schmidt said.

* The FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares rose 0.2 percent on Friday after rising 0.4 percent in the previous session to its highest close in five weeks. Japan's Nikkei average hit a four-month peak.

* The Dow Jones industrial average shot up 93.47 points, or 0.74 percent, to 12,719.49. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index gained 14 points, or 1.05 percent, to 1,353.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index climbed 38.64 points, or 1.36 percent, to 2,872.66.

(Reporting by Atul Prakash)