us stock index futures slipped early thursday following data that included readings on august retail sales regional manufacturing and weekly unemployment claims investors were also digesting a tentative deal to avoid a nationwide railway strike that was announced earlier on wednesday the dow jones industrial average rose 30 points or 01 to 31135 the sp 500 increased 13 points or 034 to 3946 and the nasdaq composite gained 86 points or 074 to 11720 the white house announced that a deal to avert a railway strike set for midnight was reached the stocks of railroad operators including union pacific unp rose in premarket trade wall street had fretted such a strike could exacerbate inflation at a time when consumer prices already were rising at a clip of 83 yearoveryear in august but news of a deal hasnt exactly bailed out stocks which are still struggling to recover from a slump after tuesdays august consumerprice index data in us data thursday retail sales rose 03 in august as americans spent more on new cars and trucks and went out to eat more suggesting the economy grew at at a steady pace toward the end of the summer meanwhile new jobless benefit claims fell by 5000 to 213000 in the week ended sept 10 the labor department said suggesting the labor market remains healthy however two regional gauges of manufacturing sentiment moved into slight contraction territory in september according to data released thursday adobe inc adbe shares were falling more than 7 in thursdays premarket trading after the software company fell short with its revenue outlook for the current quarter and announced plans for a 20 billion merger deal hear from carl icahn at the best new ideas in money festival on sept 21 and sept 22 in new york the legendary trader will reveal his view on this years wild market ride