NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures rose on Thursday on optimism about the economy after the government's higher-than-expected revision to growth in gross domestic product for the second quarter.A separate report showed the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell by 10,000 last week but remained at elevated levels indicating a weak labor market.
Stock index futures had earlier traded lower, as the price of oil rose for a fourth day, boosted by the threat of damage to U.S. oil installations in the Gulf of Mexico from Tropical Storm Gustav.
S&P 500 futures rose 7 points and were slightly above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract.
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