U.S. chip stocks rose before the bell on Thursday after industry bellwether TSMC's strong sales forecast fanned investor optimism about demand for processors used to power artificial intelligence applications.

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United Airlines flew 12.4% higher after reporting a milder drop in summer profit than expected and announcing plans to send up to $1.5 billion to its shareholders by buying back its stock. J.B. Hunt Transport Services motored up by 3.1% after the freight company delivered better-than-expected results.

U.S. stock index futures gained on Thursday, with an upbeat forecast from TSMC lifting semiconductor stocks, while investors awaited key economic data for clues on the financial health of the U.S. consumer.