Updated from 7:10 a.m. EDT.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Here are 10 things you should know for Thursday, March 19:

1. -- U.S. stock futures were mixed and fairly flat on Thursday as investors thought over the big market jump Wednesday and considered the Federal Reserve's slow progress toward higher interest rates.

European stocks made modest gains Thursday after dovish comments from the Fed and despite drops in fashion retailers.

2. -- The economic calendar in the U.S. on Thursday includes the jobless claims report at 8:30 a.m. The Bloomberg consumer comfort index delivers its survey results at 9:45 a.m. The Philadelphia Fed business outlook survey appears at 10 a.m.

3. -- U.S. stocks on Wednesday bounced upward after the Federal Reserve suggested it would not raise rates until after June.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DIA) - Get Report leapt 1.27% to 18,076.19. The S&P 500 (SPY) - Get Report rose 1.22% to 2,099.50. The Nasdaq (QQQ) - Get Report closed up 0.92% to 4,982.83.

4. -- The Federal Reserve Open Market Committee announcement fueled markets to rise sharply higher. The Fed statement no longer said the central bank would be "patient" in waiting to raise interest rates. However, the Fed also signaled that it was in no rush toward higher rates, either.

The economy needs to show more strength before the Fed increases interest rates, Fed Chair Janet Yellen said. When the job market is stronger and inflation is about 2%, the Fed will end its zero interest rate policy.

"Just because we removed the word 'patient' does not mean we will become impatient," said Yellen in the post-FOMC press conference.

5. -- The market will be closely watching the initial jobless claims report Thursday. For the week of March 7, new unemployment claims fell sharply to 289,000. Bloomberg Business calculates the consensus jobless claims estimate at 293,000 for last week.

6. -- Big-box retailer Target (TGT) - Get Reportwill raise its minimum wage to $9 an hour to compete with rivals like Wal-Mart (WMT) - Get Report and the TJX (TJX) - Get Report stores. The move is designed to help Target retain happy employees and isn't expected to have major negative consequences for the stock. Drug store chains may soon face similar pressure to raise wages.

In premarket trading, Target was flat.

7. -- Tech giant Apple (AAPL) - Get Reportjoined the Dow Jones Industrial Average Wednesday after the closing bell, replacing AT&T (T) - Get Report. The announcement that a company will be added to the Dow 30 normally boosts the stock price of new member temporarily.

Apple is the largest U.S. company by market capitalization, which stood at $740 billion at Wednesday's market close.

Apple's stock rose 1.13% in Wednesday trading and is up 0.26% more in premarket trading Thursday.

8. -- Upscale coffee seller Starbucks (SBUX) - Get Report will conduct a 2-for-1 stock split on April 9, the company announced. This will mark the sixth split for Starbucks since its 1992 IPO.

The news was somewhat overshadowed by Starbucks' floundering "Race Together" campaign, in which Starbucks staff was told to encourage discussions about race with customers.

In premarket trading, Starbucks stock was rising 0.38%.

9. -- Yahoo! (YHOO) , the Web site and search engine, will close its research branch in Beijing and will lay off around 350 employees. The center is Yahoo!'s only office in China and is one of three Yahoo! research centers worldwide.

Yahoo! stock was rising 0.85% in premarket trading.

10. -- Athletic clothing and equipment retailer Nike (NKE) - Get Reportreports its earnings after the closing bell Thursday. Analysts are optimistic about the report, which could mark the 11th positive earnings report in a row for the company.

In premarket trading, Nike stock was up 0.38% after rising 1% on Wednesday.