* Economists expect dip in jobless claims-poll
* Goldman fined $27 mln by UK financial regulator
* Futures up: Dow 28 pts; S&P 4.2 pts; Nasdaq 7.75 pts
* For up-to-the-minute market news see []
(Updates prices, adds byline)
By Rodrigo Campos
NEW YORK, Sept 9 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures rose
for a sixth day in seven on Thursday ahead of weekly data
expected to show a tick down in applications for unemployment
insurance.
Data on claims for jobless benefits for the week ended
Sept. 4 is due at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT), and economists in a
Reuters survey forecast a total of 470,000 new filings compared
with 472,000 in the prior week.
Also due at 8:30 a.m. is U.S. July international trade
data, with economists in a Reuters survey forecasting the trade
deficit to shrink to $47.3 billion from $49.9 billion in June.
"Investors are betting that we are probably not far from an
economic rebound, and with (Treasury) bonds offering not much
of a yield the risk-reward profile in equities is becoming
appealing," said Andre Bakhos, director of market analytics at
Lek Securities in New York.
S&P 500 futures <SPc1> rose 4.2 points and were above fair
value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account
interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the
contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures <DJc1> gained 28
points and Nasdaq 100 futures <NDc1> added 7.75 points.
Volume is expected to be low again as the Jewish New Year
is celebrated and many market participants stay on the
sidelines. The six lowest volume days of the year have come in
the last month.
S&P futures are up 5.5 percent in the last seven sessions,
the best such performance since mid-July.
The moving average convergence divergence chart of S&P 500
futures turned increasingly bullish after the MACD line moved
above the zero line, confirming last week's call on a shift in
momentum.
Oil rose 0.4 percent to about $75 a barrel, drawing some
strength from an initial report of falling U.S. inventories.
Industry data late on Wednesday surprised the market with
indications of a decline in U.S. fuel stockpiles, which have
hit record levels, but government statistics for release on
Thursday could contradict those figures.
Convenience store operator 7-Eleven is the mystery third
party that offered to buy Casey's General Stores Inc <CASY.O>
for $40 a share, or $2.03 billion, a source familiar with the
situation said on Wednesday. The bid exceeds the $38.50 a share
offered by Canada's largest convenience store chain,
Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc <ATDb.TO>, which has been
embroiled in a hostile takeover bid for the smaller rival since
April. []
Goldman Sachs Group <GS.N> has been fined 17.5 million
pounds ($27 million) by a UK financial regulator for failing to
disclose it was under fraud investigation by its U.S.
counterpart.
European stocks edged higher with miners and banks up as a
European Central Bank member expressed optimism on the euro
zone economy, though gains were capped by weaker retailers
after gloomy updates.
U.S. stocks rose on Wednesday as investors latched onto
positive news out of Europe.
(Editing by Padraic Cassidy)
