* CPI, initial jobless claims, Philly Fed data due
* Greek PM: Greece needs to be able to borrow cheaply
* Futures down: S&P 0.7 pts, Dow flat, Nasdaq 3 pts
* For up-to-the-minute market news, click []
(Adds byline, quote, details, writes through)
By Leah Schnurr
NEW YORK, March 18 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures
dipped on Thursday, one day after the Dow pushed to a 17-month
high, as investors awaited data on consumer inflation and the
labor market.
Adding caution, Greece's prime minister warned his country
would not be able to make planned deficit cuts unless it can
borrow money cheaply and might have to call in the
International Monetary Fund for help. A Greece finance ministry
official later denied such a plan was in place.
Worries over Greece's fiscal situation weighed on world
stocks and the euro. For details, see []
A pullback in Thursday's session would snap a seven-day
winning streak for the Dow, its longest since an eight-session
run in August 2009. Volume, however, has been lackluster ahead
of key options expirations on Thursday and Friday, when four
different types of options and futures contracts expire in a
convergence known as "quadruple witching."
Investors were eyeing a round of morning economic reports,
with weekly initial jobless claims and the consumer price index
for February expected at 8:30 am (1330 GMT). The regional
Philadelphia Fed survey for March is due at 10:00 am, as is
leading economic indicators for February. []
"Investors are hoping for benign CPI numbers as additional
data comes in, bolstering the economic recovery scenario," said
Andre Bakhos, president of Princeton Financial Group in North
Brunswick, New Jersey.
CPI is expected to edge up 0.1 percent month-over-month
compared to a gain of 0.2 percent the month before, according
to a Reuters poll. Initial claims for jobless benefits are
expected to dip to 455,000 from 462,000 the previous week.
The Philly Fed index is expected to rise to 18 from 17.6
the month before, while the Conference Board's index of leading
economic indicators is expected to rise 0.1 percent compared to
a 0.3 percent gain the previous month.
S&P 500 futures <SPc2> fell 0.7 points and were below 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 <DJc2> were flat
and Nasdaq 100 futures <NDc2> were off 3 points.
Nike Inc <NKE.N> shares rose 3.8 percent to $73.55 ahead of
the opening bell after the company posted late Wednesday a
return to sales and profit growth and forecast
higher-than-expected orders around the world after a year of
declines. []
Google Inc <GOOG.O> is working with Intel Corp <INTC.O> and
Sony Corp <6758.T> to develop a new class of Internet-enabled
televisions and set top boxes, according to a media report.
[]
Winnebago Industries Inc <WGO.N> reported its first
quarterly profit in nearly two years as sales of its largest
and most expensive vehicles rebounded modestly.
[]
Stocks gained on Wednesday after a benign February
inflation reading supported the Federal Reserve's renewed
pledge of low interest rates.
