US stock futures gain amid increasing concerns of economic slowdown

U.S. stock index futures pared gains on Thursday, after retail sales recorded their biggest drop in more than nine years in December, suggesting a sharp slowdown in economic activity at the end of 2018. At 8:37 a.m. ET, Dow e-minis were up 39 points, or 0.15 per cent. S&P 500 e-minis were up 2.5 points, or 0.09 per cent, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 13 points, or 0.19 per cent. Moments before the data, Dow e-minis was up 107 points, or 0.42 per cent. S&P 500 e-minis were up 9.5 points, or 0.35 per cent, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 35 points, or 0.5 per cent.