NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures were little changed on Thursday after data showed applications for unemployment insurance rose unexpectedly in the latest week.
S&P 500 futures fell 1.6 points and were flat in terms of fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration of the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures lost 10 points and Nasdaq 100 futures fell 2 points.
Futures were given follow-through support a day after minutes from the latest Federal Reserve meeting indicated a willingness among Fed officials to take measures soon to stimulate the economy.
However, non-voting Federal Open Market Committee member and St. Louis Fed President James Bullard said on CNBC that U.S. data has been somewhat better since the latest Fed meeting and the minutes were "a bit stale."
Analysts mostly expect U.S. equities to hover near four-year highs hit earlier this week and volume to remain subdued until the end of the month.
(Reporting by Rodrigo Campos, editing by Dave Zimmerman)
