The dollar was ticking up.

The US dollar index was up by 0.2% at 93.67 at 8:51 a.m. ET.

In economic news, initial claims, which give a sense of what’s happening in the labor market ahead of the jobs report, fell more than expected.

Claims, which count the number of people who applied for unemployment insurance for the first time, fell to 260,000. Economists forecast a reading of 265,000, down from 272,000.

Meanwhile, Friday will see the latest jobs report.

As for the rest of the world, here was the scoreboard at 8:25 a.m. ET:

    The British pound was down by 0.6% at 1.3165 against the dollar. The currency tumbled amid speculation that Theresa May might be ousted as Prime Minister. "After Theresa May's speech at the Tory party conference on Wednesday, there are rumours that she will be asked (forced) to step down by her own party," Kathleen Brooks, research director at City Index, says in an email. "The prospect of a leaderless UK in the middle of the Brexit process, or even worse, a Prime Minister Boris, are right to unnerve sterling traders." The euro was down by 0.2% at 1.1740 against the dollar. The Japanese yen was up by 0.2% at 112.49 per dollar. The Russian ruble was up by 0.3% at 57.4938 per dollar, while Brent crude oil, the international benchmark, was up by 0.5% at $56.06 per barrel. The Indian rupee was little changed at 65.070 per dollar.