US STOCKS-Futures flat before June payrolls, rising oil

* Wall St to take its lead from U.S. payrolls data

* Oil sets record above $145 a barrel

* Nvidia lowers forecasts, seen weighing on techs

* ISM services data on tap

By Walker Simon

NEW YORK, July 3 (Reuters) - U.S. stock futures were little changed on Thursday as oil climbed to a record and investors awaited U.S. non-farm payrolls data for June for clues whether the weak economy has moved closer to recession.

U.S. oil futures CLc1 jumped nearly $2 a barrel to $145.85 before the long holiday weekend marking U.S. Independence Day on Friday.

A barrage of gloomy outlooks on the U.S. economy and corporate profits sent the Dow and Nasdaq into bear market territory Wednesday, 20 percent below their October peaks. The S&P teetered on the edge of the bear market, also pressured by warnings of bank losses, fear of surging inflation and weakening consumer confidence.

In a shortened session on Thursday, technology shares could be hurt by Nvidia Corp (NVDA.O), the graphics chip maker, which cut its second-quarter sales and profit margins outlook late on Wednesday. Nvidia cited global market weakness, and its shares fell 23.5 percent to $13.80 after the bell.

Stock futures showed little reaction after news the European Central Bank raised interest rates by 25 basis points on Thursday, a move that had been expected to combat inflation.

The New York Stock Exchange will close at 1 p.m. (1700 GMT) before the Fourth of July holiday.

Dominating investors' concern was the Labor Department's report on non-farm payrolls and the unemployment rate for June due at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT).

Economists polled by Reuters expect a loss of 60,000 jobs, which would mark the sixth straight month of losses, the longest streak since June 2002.

"The perception is so bearish that a statistically benign number on the jobs report could swing the market (upwards) or at least give the market a long deserved respite from the blood bath," said Andre Bakhos, president of Princeton Financial Group in Princeton, New Jersey.

S&P 500 futures SPc1 were 1 point higher, about even with fair value, a mathematical formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract.

Dow Jones industrial average futures DJc1 fell 1 point, and Nasdaq 100 NDc1 futures fell 9 points.