Stocks are indicated higher on better-than-expected weekly claims data and gains in overseas markets Thursday. Less than thirty minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures hint at a 30 or 40-point early gain for the Dow Jones Industrial Average.

Stock index futures moved higher after the Labor Department reported that jobless claims declined by 21,000 to 454,000 in the week ended July 3. Economists were looking for a decline of about 15,000.

Meanwhile, overseas markets are broadly higher after the Dow Jones Industrial Average rallied 275 points Wednesday. In Asia, Japan’s Nikkei rallied 2.8 percent. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng gained 1 percent. UK’s FTSE is pacing an advance across Europe with a 2 percent gain.

Commodities are up. Crude oil gained $1.26 to $75.33 ahead of weekly inventory data. Gold edged up $1 to $1,200 an ounce.

Bonds are lower, as money begins to flow back to riskier assets. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is down 9/32nd and yields 3.01 percent. The dollar is up .5 to 88.25 against the yen. The euro added another .0046 to 1.2679 against the buck.

Among the stocks to watch, retailers are releasing June same store sales numbers. Costco (COST) shares are up 1 percent after reporting a 4 percent in sales. Abercrombie (ANF) and Hot Topic (HOTT) are also higher. Gap Stores (GPS) and Kohl’s (KSS) are seeing weakness. H&R Block (HRB) fell 3 percent on news CEO Russ Smyth has resigned. Wells Fargo (WFC) edged higher after announcing a round of job cuts. Madison Square Garden (MSG) might see action for a second day on speculation regarding where Lebron James might sign. King James is scheduled to announce something Thursday evening.