By Anora Mahmudova and Carla Mozee, MarketWatch

Bally Technologies soars on deal with Scientific Games

NEW YORK (MarketWatch) -- U.S. stock futures further trimmed their losses after weaker-than-expected jobs report, as it eased fears that the Federal Reserve might raise interest rates sooner that investors had been expecting.

The economy added 209,000 jobs in July while the unemployment rate ticked up to 6.2%, as more people entered the labor force in search of work, the government reported.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJU4) were 13 points lower at 16,479, while those for the S&P 500 index (SPU4) were off 2 points, or 0.1%, to 1,922.70. Futures for the Nasdaq 100 index (NDU4) were flat at 3,884.25.

Investors also are reacting to comments from two Fed policy makers.

Richard Fisher, the president of the Dallas Fed and a voting member on the Fed's rate committee, said on an interview with CNBC said the central bank is now closer to raising rates after its two-day policy meeting that ended Wednesday. But Charles Plosser, the president of the Philadelphia Fed, said interest rates are "well behind" what is appropriate.

Also fresh in the mind of investors is Thursday's selloff that left the S&P 500 (SPX) down 2%, and the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJI) down 317 points. The Dow is now lower for the year.

Triggers for the selloff included a quarterly rise in the U.S. employment cost index, on a larger-than-expected increase in wages. Higher wages could push up inflation and prompt the Federal Reserve to raise interest rates.

The rise in the ECI reading drove "a general lack of risk appetite around the market," said Richard Perry, market analyst at Hantec Markets, in emailed comments. Need to Know for Friday: Don't be a hero and a call for the S&P 500 to hit 2,500

Other data due Friday include consumer sentiment and manufacturing activity in July, and monthly auto sales.

Company news

Procter & Gamble (PG) topped profit estimates, and shares rose nearly 2% in premarket.

Shares of Mobileye (MBLY), which makes camera-based driver-assistance systems in cars, will make their trading debut on the New York Stock Exchange. The shares late Thursday priced at $25 a share, above an expected range of $21 to $23 a share. Also read: Four things to know about Mobileye.

GoPro Inc. (GPRO) shares fell 10% in premarket trade. The camcorder maker posted better-than-expected second-quarter results late Thursday, but the shares fell, giving back some of their 30% increase since their June debut.

Deal news sent shares of Bally Technolgoies Inc. (BYI) up 33% in premarket. Shares of Scientific Games Corp. (SGMS) eased 3% after it announced plans to buy Bally in a deal worth around $5.1 billion.

In Europe, stocks were down, but generally well off their lows after the jobs data. In Asia, Japan's Nikkei Average lost 0.6%.

Crude-oil futures (CLU4) lost ground, and gold futures (GCU4) advanced just over $1 an ounce. The ICE U.S. Dollar index (DXY) was at 81.482, up from 81.446 on Thursday.

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