U.S. stocks head for higher open

US stock futures were volatile early Thursday but indicated stocks would open higher.

Dow futures rose 28, or 0.23 percent, to 12,300. Standard & Poor's 500 index futures rose 3.50, or 0.26 percent, to 1,345.50, and the Nasdaq 100 index rose 8.00, or 0.44 percent, to 1,815.50.

Investors awaited economic figures such as weekly claims for unemployment benefits as well as quarterly results from big names like Microsoft Inc. but in a broader sense tried to determine whether the late-day comeback Wednesday would hold.

(Agencies)