Stocks are indicated modestly higher after tech bellwether Cisco Systems (CSCO) posted better-than-expected earnings and after the latest weekly jobless claims fell a bit more than economists had predicted. Forty-five minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average might add 15 or 20 points at the open.

Stock index futures edged a bit higher after the Labor Department reported that jobless claims fell by 20,000 to 512,000 last week. Economists were looking for a smaller 8,000 decline. The report takes on added importance this week, as it comes ahead of the Labor Department’s monthly jobs data Friday.

Economists expect Friday’s numbers to show the economy losing 175,000 jobs in October. The unemployment rate is expected to improve to 6.5 percent, from 6.6 percent.

Meanwhile, a separate report released Thursday morning showed an uptick in third quarter non-farm productivity, which rose 9.5 percent and much more than the 6.5 percent economists had predicted.

Bonds are holding modest gains on the better productivity number. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is up a few ticks and now yields 3.53 percent.

The dollar slipped .45 to 90.32 against the Japanese yen. The euro edged up .0003 to 1.4875 against the buck.

Crude oil is down .40 to $80 a barrel and gold added $4.20 to $1091.50 an ounce.

Among the stocks to watch, Cisco Systems (CSCO) will help the Dow and the NASDAQ. Shares are up 86 cents to $24.15 after the networking giant reported a quarterly profit of 36 cents per share, which beat Street estimates by a nickel. Revenues also exceeded expectations.

Research In Motion (RIMM) gained 1.5 percent after announcing a $1.2 billion stock buyback plan. Sanmina (SANM) surged 16 percent after reporting a profit of zero per share, which was better than the 11 percent loss analysts were expecting. CF Industries (CF) is down 7.7 percent after Agrium made its best and final offer of $45 per share in cash plus one Agrium (AGU) share for CF.

Finally, monthly same store sales results has the retailers are in focus. Target (TGT) said sales slipped .1 percent last month, which was in-line with expectations. Shares are modestly lower on the news. American Eagle (AEO) disappointing results (-5 percent vs. 1.9 percent consensus) sent shares down 10.6 percent. Nordstrom (JWN) and Gap Stores (GPS) shares are up on their respective results.