US Stocks-Futures rise as Trump slump eases

U.S. stock index futures edged higher on Friday as a sense of calm prevailed over Wall Street in a week that was dominated by political uncertainty surrounding Donald Trump's presidency.

* Still, the indexes are on track for their worst weekly since mid-April as a risk-off mood was triggered after Trump unexpectedly fired FBI Director James Comey. Reports later alleged Trump had asked Comey to end an investigation into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn's ties with Russia.

* Investors fear that the political uproar could hinder Trump from pursuing his promise of fiscal stimulus, a key driver for Wall Street's record-setting run.

* Upbeat economic data and the appointment of a special counsel to investigate Trump-Russia ties helped soothe some nerves, giving Wall Street a boost on Thursday.

* Oil prices rose more than 1 percent, notching their third straight day of gains, lifting the indexes on Friday.

* St. Louis Federal Reserve President James Bullard and his San Francisco counterpart John Williams are scheduled to speak at separate events and could throw light on the central bank's plans to raise interest rates next month.

* Shares of farm equipment maker Deere & Co rose 5 percent to $118.30 in light premarket trading after the company reported a 62 percent jump in quarterly profit.

* Autodesk was up nearly 11 percent at $106.06 after the software maker reported better-than-expected quarterly revenue.

* Lumber Liquidators rose 5 percent to $27.54 following Oppenheimer's upgrade to "outperform" from "perform".

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