US futures rise ahead of key July jobs report

NEW YORK (AP) -- Futures are rising sharply ahead of the report from the Labor Department on hiring and unemployment trends in July.

Dow Jones industrial futures are up 100 points to 12,931 and the broader S&P futures added 12.3 points at 1,374.20. Nasdaq futures are up 26 points at 2,644.50.

The report, to be released at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time, is expected to show that hiring in the U.S. is just barely improving, but not enough to lower an unemployment rate that is stuck at around 8.2 percent.

However, markets anticipate that weak numbers on the jobs front will push the Federal Reserve to act in order to spur growth. The Fed held a two-day policy meeting this week and signaled a growing willingness to do just that.(Copyright 2012 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)