The S&P 500 and the Dow were set to open near all-time highs on Thursday, extending a record-setting run as a surprise dip in weekly jobless claims reinforced confidence in the U.S. economy amid a surge in COVID-19 infections.

SenseTime Group shares surged as much as 23% from their IPO price on Thursday, adding billions of dollars to the artificial intelligence start-up's market value as it debuted in Hong Kong in the city's final major float for the year.

U.S. stock index futures rose marginally on Thursday, as easing worries around the Omicron variant put the S&P 500 and the Dow on track to extend record-setting runs, with focus turning to a weekly jobless report to gauge the country's economic health.

China Evergrande Group said on Thursday in its Wechat account that 91.7% of its national projects have resumed construction after three months of effort.

Mergers and acquisitions in the Chinese property market will help firms lower their debt, Zou Lan, head of financial markets at the People's Bank of China (PBOC), said on Thursday.

Annette Clayton is well aware of how few women there are in the energy industry. She is using her power as one of the most senior females in the field to change it.