NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures pared their earlier gains Thursday morning slightly after the number of U.S. workers filing new claims for jobless benefits fell a bit less than expected last week, while total claims lasting more than one week rose. The Labor Department's weekly report showed initial claims for jobless benefits fell 4,000 to 570,000 in the week ended Aug. 29. Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires had expected a decline of 5,000. Meanwhile, the previous week's level was revised from 570,000 to 574,000, and the four-week average of new claims - which aims to smooth volatility in the data - grew 4,000 to 571,250. Following the news, Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 40 points at 9317, while S&P 500 futures gained 6 points to 1000 and Nasdaq Composite futures rose climbed 9 points to 1602. Prior to the report, DJIA futures had been up 67 points at 9344, while S&P 500 futures were up 9 points and Nasdaq Composite futures were up 13 points. The earlier gains had come as the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development on Thursday said recovery from the global recession is likely to arrive earlier than had been expected a few months ago but the pace of activity will remain weak well into next year. It now expects G7 economies to fall 3.7% this year from a 4.1% contraction it previously predicted as it grew more confident about Europe and Japan. Also Thursday, retailers are reporting their same-store sales figures for August. On aggregate, sales may drop 3.8%, according to estimates compiled by Thomson Reuters, with teen-apparel and department stores hit the hardest. Investors will be watching closely Friday when the government releases its jobs report for August. Wednesday, a precursor to the report disappointed investors. July's monthly jobs report had raised hopes that the worst may be over with the unemployment rate registering its first decline since April 2008.

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