US STOCKS-Futures flat before jobless claims data

                                
 * Jobless claims seen edging lower from prior week
                                
 * Volume expected to be low on quarter's last day
                                
 * Berkshire Class B shares fall after Sokol resignation
                                
 * Dow up 8 pts, S&P down 0.6 pt, Nasdaq down 0.25 pt
                                
 * For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]
 (Adds analyst comment, updates prices)
                                
 By Ryan Vlastelica
                                
 NEW YORK, March 31 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures
were little changed on Thursday, the final day of the quarter,
before weekly jobless claims data that could give insight into
the U.S. employment situation.
                                
 On Friday investors will scrutinize non-farm payroll
figures in the government's March unemployment report.
                                
 The week has been marked by some of the year's lowest
volumes as traders opt to ride the quarter's gainers amid
global risks. The S&P 500 is up 5.6 percent in the quarter,
based on Wednesday's close.
                                
 Initial jobless benefits claims, due at 8:30 a.m. [1230
GMT], are forecast at 380,000, a slight decline from the prior
week. Wednesday's reassuring ADP report on private payrolls
kept sentiment up for Friday's payrolls report.
                                
 "We're in a bit of a pause as we wait for the important
claims number," said Rick Meckler, president of investment firm
LibertyView Capital Management in New York.
                                
 "Though this won't necessarily echo the payroll number, if
claims are very bearish a lot of people will reconsider about
what to expect tomorrow. If this is disappointing, a lot of
people may use it as an excuse to step back."
                                
 David Sokol, the man widely seen as the leading successor
to Warren Buffett to head up Berkshire Hathaway <BRKa.N>
<BRKb.N>, has resigned after buying shares in chemical company
Lubrizol Corp <LZ.N> before pushing Buffett to acquire it.
Berkshire's Class B shares fell 2.4 percent to $83.42 in
premarket trading. For details, see [ID:nN30189928]
                                
 S&P 500 futures <SPc1> fell 0.6 point and were about even
with 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>
added 8 points and Nasdaq 100 futures <NDc1> slid 0.25 point.
                                
 February factory orders data will be released at 10 a.m.
(1400 GMT) after the market opens. Factory orders are seen
rising by a smaller amount than in the previous month.
                                
 Chicago PMI data for March, which covers Midwest business
activity, will also be released.
                                
 Microsoft Corp <MSFT.O> stepped up its rivalry with Google
Inc <GOOG.O> on Thursday by filing a formal complaint with the
European Commission, claiming Google systematically thwarts
Internet search competition. [ID:nN31223364]
                                
 The Macau unit of Las Vegas Sands Corp <LVS.N> said it is
being investigated by the Hong Kong Securities and Futures
Commission for alleged regulatory violations. Shares of Las
Vegas Sands fell 5.4 percent to $41.14 before the bell.
[ID:nL3E7EV08W]
                                
 U.S. stocks rose for a second session on Wednesday with
activity dominated by some of the strongest-performing groups
in the first quarter, including energy and and small-cap
stocks.
                                
 (Editing by Kenneth Barry)