(By Balachander) U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on the Wall Street as investors digested better-than-expected non-farm payrolls data and a surprise fall in unemployment rate.
Mini Dow Industrial Average futures advanced 52 points to 13,550. The Nasdaq futures rose 12.75 points to 2,834.25. Standard and Poor's 500 futures gained 6.90 points to 1,462.70.
Friday's U.S. non-farm payrolls report showed 114,000 jobs were added in September and the unemployment rate unexpectedly fell to 7.8 percent. Economists expected creation of 113,000 jobs and unemployment rate at 8.2 percent. Nonfarm Payrolls measures the change in the number of people employed during the previous month, excluding the farming industry.
A government data showed on Thursday that the number of Americans who continued to receive jobless benefits unexpectedly fell last week, an indication that the labor market is stabilizing.
On Thursday, U.S. stocks closed in green ahead of the keenly anticipated monthly payrolls report, even as better-than-expected jobless claims data and remarks by European Central Bank (ECB) President Mario Draghi buoyed sentiment. Draghi said the ECB is prepared to buy government bonds once the necessary conditions are fulfilled. ECB also decided to keep the interest rate on the main refinancing operations at a record low of 0.75 percent.
Hot Stocks Of The Day: ZNGA, CW, STZ, DTLK, CACH, WTSLA
In corporate news, Zynga Inc. (NASDAQ:ZNGA) tumbled 20.43 percent in premarket after the social gaming company expects a loss for the third quarter and cut its full-year guidance, citing lower expectations for certain web games including The Ville, and delays in launching several new games.
Curtiss-Wright Corp. (NYSE:CW) plunged nearly 9 percent in premarket after the provider of engineered flow control products reduced its earnings forecast, citing negative impacts of a recent labor strike, delays in the start of oil and gas projects and modest softening of new orders.
Constellation Brands Inc. (NYSE:STZ) posted mixed results for the second quarter and the premium wine company updated its forecast for the year ending February 2013. Shares gained 1.61 percent in premarket after the company raised its comparable earnings forecast.
Wet Seal Inc. (NASDAQ:WTSLA) may be in focus after the Foothill Ranch, California-based specialty retailer agreed with its third-largest investor Clinton Group to terminate consent solicitation. The company also said four of its directors agreed to resign and will replaced by four of Clinton's nominees.
Cache Inc. (NASDAQ:CACH) retreated 15.38 percent after the sportswear company forecast a wider-than-expected loss and lower sales for the third quarter due to increased promotional activity and "equally challenging" sales of its early fall offerings.
Datalink Corp. (NASDAQ:DTLK) shed 15.97 percent in premarket after the provider of data-center services cut its outlook for the third quarter, saying it saw expected contracts pushed back by as much as 90 days or more due to uncertainty economic condition.
Global Markets:
European markets traded higher, with Germany's DAX up 0.95 percent to trade at 7,374.75. France's CAC40 jumped 1.22 percent to trade at 3,442.69. U.K.'s FTSE 100 added 0.53 percent to trade at 5,858.66.
Among Asian markets, Japan's Nikkei 225 advanced 0.44 percent to end at 8,863.30. Hong Kong's Hang Seng Index added 0.50 percent to close at 20,012.38. India's BSE Sensex finished at 18,398.46, down 0.63 percent. China's Shanghai Stock Exchange Composite Index is closed for a public holiday.
Commodity & Currency Scan:
Ahead of the opening bell, crude oil futures dropped 0.95 percent to $90.84 per barrel. Gold futures shed 0.86 percent to $1,781.0 per ounce.
In the currency market, the euro edged 0.01 percent lower against the U.S. dollar to 1.3016. The British pound inched up 0.10 percent against the greenback to 1.6207, and the dollar added 0.43 percent against the Japanese yen to 78.8200.