Business Today: Stock futures higher after claims data

02/23/2012 Stock futures higher after claims data NEW YORK (Reuters) - S&P 500 stock index futures pared gains but recovered quickly on Thursday after a report showed new U.S. claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, holding at the lowest level since the early days of the 2007-2009 recession. Jobless claims hold steady at 4-year low WASHINGTON (Reuters) - New claims for unemployment benefits were unchanged last week, holding at the lowest level since the early days of the 2007-2009 recession and giving a fresh sign the battered labor market is healing. Greece readies debt swap under bailout deal ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece's parliament was expected to endorse a debt swap with private bondholders on Thursday that forms the core of its 130-billion-euro bailout, despite new protests against tough budget cuts demanded in return for the rescue deal. Euro zone economy to shrink in 2012 BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The euro zone's economy is heading into its second recession in just three years, while the wider European Union will stagnate, the EU's executive said on Thursday, warning that the currency area has yet to break its vicious cycle of debt. HP shares fall on sharp profit decline (Reuters) - Shares of Hewlett-Packard Co were down 2 percent in premarket trading on Thursday after the world's No. 1 computer maker posted a sharp decline in quarterly earnings and warned it would take several years to turn around its sprawling businesses. Europe's banks bleed from Greek debt crisis LONDON/PARIS (Reuters) - Greece's debt problems drove a slew of heavy losses across the European banking sector on Thursday, and bosses warned the euro zone crisis would continue to threaten earnings. Target adjusted profit rises for holiday quarter (Reuters) - Target Corp posted a higher adjusted quarterly profit as the retailer's sales rose during the holiday season. Liberty Global mulls bid for Ziggo: paper AMSTERDAM (Reuters) - U.S. cable group Liberty Global is considering a bid for Dutch cable firm Ziggo, estimated to be worth 8 billion euros ($10.6 billion) and which is planning a stock listing, Dutch daily De Telegraaf reported on Thursday without citing sources. EU executive to push for bigger rescue fund, win IMF support BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission wants euro zone leaders to agree to a bigger rescue fund to nudge the IMF into backing debt-stricken European economies, despite German resistance to boosting it, the EU's top economic official said on Thursday. Burned before, Fed officials cautious on rebound WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. central bank officials have good reason to be skeptical about the strength of the economy: excessive optimism has caught them flat-footed before. Related Video Breakingviews - RBS pulls off bonus balancing act Jim Rogers "nibbling" at Chinese Stocks Economic News Jobless claims hold steady at 4-year low Home resales at 1-1/2 year-high, supply falls A daily digest of breaking business news, coverage of the US economy, major corporate news and the financial markets. Register Today   The latest Reuters articles on M&A, IPOs, private equity, hedge funds and regulatory updates delivered to your inbox each day. Register Today   » MORE NEWSLETTERS - 3 Times Square New York, NY 10036 USA © Copyright 2010 Thomson Reuters Ensure delivery of Reuters Newsmails, add mail@nl.reuters.com to your address book. Details Subscribe to other Reuters newsletters. Unsubscribe from this newsletter. Follow us on Twitter Friend us on Facebook Forward to a friend