Stocks are indicated lower following a round of losses in European equity markets and after data showed a surprise jump in jobless claims last week. Thirty minutes before the opening bell on Wall Street, stock index futures indicate that the Dow Jones Industrial Average might lose 35 or 40 points at the open.

Volatility picked up across Europe’s equity markets amid ongoing concerns about debt problems and rising bond yields in Greece. France’s CAC 40 Index is off 1.7 percent, Germany’s DAX down 1.2 percent and UK’s FTSE fell 1.2 percent.

In the US, some of the focus is on economic data after the Labor Department reported that weekly jobless claims rose by 18,000 to 460,000 in the period ended April 3. Economists were expecting to see claims fall by about 7,000.

Stock index futures slipped on the data. Bonds are flat. The benchmark ten-year Treasury is unchanged and now yields 3.85 percent.

The buck slipped .26 to 93.00 against the yen. Euro woes continue, down another .0015 to 1.3319 against the US currency.

A report on Wholesale Inventories is also on the economic calendar, but generally not a market mover. Economists expect the data, due at 10:00 ET, to show an increase of .3 percent in February.

In the commodities, crude oil lost .80 to $85.08 a barrel and gold slipped $2.30 to $1150.70 an ounce.

Meanwhile, March same store sales numbers has the retailers in the spotlight Thursday morning. Gap Stores (GPS), The Limited (LTD), Aeropostale (ARO) are trading higher. JC Penney (JCP), American Eagle (AEO), and Abercrombie (ANF) are trading lower.

Hot Topic (HOTT) is trading 16 percent higher after announcing a $1 special dividend. The airlines will see relative strength after the NY Times reported US Airways (LCC) and United (UAL) are in merger talks. Star Scientific (CIGX) gained 16 percent after being discussed favorably on James Altucher’s blog on Seeking Alpha.