Markets get some useful US economic reports on Thursday. It starts with jobless claims at 8:30 am ET where the Econoday consensus forecast sees claims flat at 224K in the latest week. Also at 8:30 am ET is the monthly Philadelphia Fed report on business conditions in district manufacturing. The call there is for modest continued expansion at 8.0 in August (0 means no change in business activity) versus 15.9 in July.

US S&P PMI flash figures are due at 9:45 am ET. The consensus sees manufacturing at 49.7 versus 49.8 in the prior final. Services is expected to show growth continuing but slower at 53.0 compared with 55.2 in July. Finally, it's existing home sales at 10 am ET. The annual home sales rate is expected down again at a sluggish 3.90 million in July after 3.93 million in June.

Market Focus details key factors in the coming day that will impact the economic outlook and the financial markets. These include central bank events, economic indicators, policymaker speeches as well as expected political and corporate developments.

Keeping up-to-date with event schedules and the economic calendar is key to understanding the global financial system. Econoday's Market Focus allows investors and policymakers to carefully track what will be making news and moving the financial markets in the coming day.