US equity futures were lower pre-bell Thursday as traders looked ahead to a deluge of economic data.

Dow Jones Industrial Average futures slipped 0.4%, S&P 500 futures fell 0.4%, and Nasdaq futures were down 0.6%.

Oil prices fell, with front-month global benchmark North Sea Brent crude down 3.1% at $64.05 per barrel and US West Texas Intermediate crude 3.2% lower at $61.13 per barrel.

New unemployment claims, scheduled for release at 8:30 am ET, are seen rising by 1,000 to 229,000 in the week ended May 10. Producer prices are seen to have risen by 0.2% for the final demand for April following a 0.4% downtick in the preceding month. No change is expected for retail sales for April after March's 1.4% increase.

Forecasters see industrial production, due at 9:15 am ET, rising by 0.2% for April following a 0.3% drop in the preceding month.

Business inventories, slated for 10 am ET, is expected to have risen by 0.2% in March. No change is expected for the housing market index at 40.0 for May.