Stock futures edge higher; Nike jumps on buyback

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[November 20, 2015]  By Abhiram Nandakumar

(Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were slightly higher on Friday with no catalysts to drive the market convincingly in either direction.

* Barring a selloff, the market looked set for its best weekly performance since early October.

* Stocks closed slightly lower on Thursday, as a slump in healthcare stocks offset gains in tech names.

* Global stocks were also on track on Friday for their best week in more than a month.

* European Central Bank President Mario Draghi hinted again at the bank's readiness to expand its stimulus program.

* Minutes from the U.S. Federal Reserve's October meeting, released on Wednesday, hardened expectations of a December interest rate hike and hinted at a cautious approach after that.

* Nike's shares  jumped 4.3 percent to $131.25 in premarket trading after the Dow component announced a $12 billion share buyback and a 2-for-1 share split.

* Intuit was up 12.3 percent at $109.39 in thin trading after it forecast a full-year profit above estimates.

* Square was up 3.2 percent at $13.49 after its sparkling debut on Thursday.

* St. Louis Fed President James Bullard and New York Fed President William Dudley are slated to speak at separate events.

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Futures snapshot at 6:48 a.m. ET:

* Dow e-minis were up 58 points, or 0.33 percent, with 12,747 contracts changing hands.

* S&P 500 e-minis  were up 4.5 points, or 0.22 percent, with 94,522 contracts traded.

* Nasdaq 100 e-minis  were up 9.25 points, or 0.2 percent, on volume of 13,130 contracts.

(Reporting by Abhiram Nandakumar in Bengaluru; Editing by Saumyadeb Chakrabarty)

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