US STOCKS-Futures flat ahead of claims data, Obama speech

* Initial jobless claims on tap

* Obama, Bernanke speeches eyed

* Futures off: S&P 5.5 pts, Dow 7 pts, Nasdaq 3 pts

* For up-to-the-minute market news see [STXNEWS/US]
(Adds quote, updates prices)

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK, Sept 8 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were
little changed on Thursday as investors awaited data on the
labor market ahead of U.S. President Barack Obama's speech
unveiling his plan to stimulate jobs growth.

Weekly U.S. jobless claims are due at 8:30 a.m. EDT (1230
GMT), which investors will look to for signs the recovery is
improving. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a total of
405,000 new filings, compared with 409,000 in the prior week.

After last Friday's dismal U.S. nonfarm payroll data,
investors will closely watch Obama's televised speech to
Congress at 7 p.m. EDT (2300 GMT). The president is expected to
propose tax cuts for middle-class households and businesses and
new spending to repair roads, bridges and other infrastructure.
For details, see [ID:nN1E786157]

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will deliver a speech
on the U.S. economic outlook to the Economic Club of Minnesota
at 1:30 p.m. EDT (1730 GMT), but he is unlikely to announce any
outline new measures to boost the economy. [ID:nN1E7860OB]

"We have our unemployment claims numbers this morning, then
you have Bernanke later today and the Obama speech tonight, so
everybody is going to be positioning in front of these events,"
said Paul Mendelsohn, chief investment strategist at Windham
Financial Services in Charlotte, Vermont.

"All (Obama) can really do, as I see it, is create a moral
boost to the country. It's a very difficult battle. He's trying
to fight a long-term problem with a short-term solution."

S&P 500 futures SPc1 fell 5.5 points and were slightly
below 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
dipped 7 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures NDc1 took off 3
points.

The European Central Bank held interest rates at 1.5
percent and is likely to indicate a policy tightening cycle
begun in April is on hold in the face of more evidence the
region's recovery is losing momentum. European stocks pared
gains after the decision. For ECB story, [ID:nL5E7K80SP]; for
European stocks, [.EU]

A U.S. appeals court has ruled a fraud lawsuit against Bank
of America Corp (BAC.N) and Wells Fargo & Co (WFC.N) and other
lenders involving mortgage practices cannot proceed. Bank of
America shares gained 0.8 percent to $7.54 in premarket trade.
[ID:nN1E7860VO]

PerkinElmer Inc (PKI.N) is buying Caliper Life Sciences Inc
CALP.O to broaden its reach in molecular imaging and genomic
detection technologies. Caliper shares surged 40.7 percent to
$10.40 in premarket trading.

In Asia, the Nikkei stock average pulled further away from
a six-month low hit this week, boosted by optimism about Europe
solving its debt crisis, but the rise was tempered by
continuing uncertainty about the U.S. economic outlook.
[ID:nL3E7K80QD]
(Reporting by Chuck Mikolajczak; editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)