U.S. markets edged lower on Thursday

U.S. stock futures slipped this Thursday as Ben Bernanke, U.S. Federal Reserve Chairman, stated that European debt crisis, as well as probable U.S. spending cuts put at risk the country's economy. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ticked higher 70.39 points, a 0.6 per cent increase, to 12,484.87. The Standard & Poor 500 Index jumped 3.5 points, a 0.3 per cent increase, to 1,318.63, while the Nasdaq Composite fell 1 point to 2,843.82.