Wall Street heads for higher open as investors await jobs data, retail sales reports

US stock futures point higher ahead of jobs data

NEW YORK — Stock futures are indicating a higher opening for the U.S. markets as investors await sales reports from retailers and data on the labor market.

The modest increase in futures comes as European markets move higher after two days of losses ahead of key statements from central banks. Both the European Central Bank and the Bank of England are expected to keep their benchmark interest rates at historical lows.

Asian markets declined as investors took profits made the day before when markets in other countries retreated.

Ahead of the market’s open, Dow Jones industrial average futures are up 39 to 8,708. Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures are up 5 to 937, while Nasdaq 100 index futures are higher by nearly 6 points to 1,483.