US STOCKS-Wall St set to extend 3-day rally as QE2 ends

* Jobless claims, manufacturing data on tap

* Second Greek austerity measure set to pass

* Fed's QE2 comes to an end

* Futures up: Dow 22 pts, S&P 2 pts, Nasdaq 5.25 pts

* For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]

By Edward Krudy

NEW YORK, June 30 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures pointed to a fourth day of gains on Thursday, the day the Federal Reserve ends its massive bond buying program, as optimism that Greece's debt problems are getting resolved helped lift equities from their recent lows.

The S&P 500 gained more than 3 percent in its best three-day run in three months this week as the Greek parliament adopted austerity measures to avoid a debt default. The parliament was set to approve detailed austerity and privatization bills on Thursday. For details, see [ID:nL3E7HU09J]

Peter Cardillo, chief market economist at Avalon Partners in New York, said technical factors, end of quarter "window dressing" by fund managers and anticipation of a strong earnings season in July should help the market throughout the session.

"It's the end of the quarter today, the end of QE2, and the S&P 500 managed to close above 1,300," he said. "I think that in itself should mean further gains throughout the session."

The Federal Reserve ends its $600 billion bond-buying program, known as QE2, on Thursday and has not offered any hints of more monetary easing. Markets were volatile in May and June, partly on concerns about QE2's end. [ID:nN1E75Q0FF]

S&P 500 futures SPc1 added 2 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures DJc1 gained 22 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures NDc1 rose 5.25 points.

The S&P 500 retook its April low at around 1,295 this week, putting a floor under the market, but analysts said it could struggle to pass back above its 50-day moving average at around 1,316.

"Technical factors (show) that we will probably end the quarter on an upbeat (note) and the worse of the decline is over," said Cardillo. "We're probably headed for a summer rally based on another solid round of second quarter earnings."

The S&P 500 is off 4.1 percent since the end of April after falling as much as 7 percent.

With new signs of a slowdown in the U.S. economy, investors will closely watch key data coming during the morning.

The Labor Department releases first-time weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT). Economists forecast a total of 420,000 new filings, compared with 429,000 in the prior week.

The Chicago PMI is expected to show activity in the U.S. Midwest slowed in June. The data comes at 9:45 a.m. EDT (1345 GMT) In addition, the Institute for Supply Management in New York releases at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230 GMT) its June index of regional business activity.

News Corp (NWSA.O) secured UK government backing for its controversial buyout of British Sky Broadcasting Group PLC (BSY.L) after a key minister rejected complaints it would give News Chairman Rupert Murdoch too much power and influence. [ID:nL3E7HU0QF]

In research news, Bank of America-Merrill Lynch raised eBay Inc (EBAY.O) shares to "buy." The shares rose 2.3 percent to $31.56 in premarket trading.

The pan-European FTSEurofirst 300 .FTEU3 index of top shares was up 0.1 percent early Thursday, while Japan's Nikkei average .N225 closed 0.2 percent higher. (Reporting by Edward Krudy; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)