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.

On the economic calendar, the Institute for Supply Management will issue its June reading on the vast services sector at 10 a.m. (1400 GMT).

Stock markets in Asia fell on Thursday as Japan's Nikkei share index .N225 dipped 0.2 percent, falling for an 11th day, its longest string of losses since a 15-day run in 1954.

In Europe the FTSEurofirst 300 index of top European shares .FTEU3 was down 0.3 percent.

On Wednesday, the Dow Jones industrial average .DJI fell 166.75 points, or 1.46 percent, to 11,215.51.

The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX lost 23.39 points, or 1.82 percent, to close at 1,261.52, while the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC slid 53.51 points, or 2.32 percent, to end at 2,251.46.

(Editing by Kenneth Barry)