Sources say Saudi Arabia's East-West crude pipeline is accumulating inventories and tanker loading at Yanbu port has not resumed.

France Q2 final non-seasonally adjusted average monthly wages QoQ 0.7% vs 0.5% expected; prior 0.7%.

U.S. initial jobless claims fell by 1,000 to 197,000 in the week ended Sept. 19, seasonally adjusted, the U.S. Labor Department said on Thursday; economists had expected 201,000. Claims are at a 57-year low, partly reflecting seasonal-adjustment volatility around Labor Day and residual seasonal factors that often push claims lower toward year-end. The Labor Department said the underlying trend in claims remains consistent with current labor-market conditions. Economists say the labor market is stabilizing after a soft summer, supported by low layoff rates, but firms remain reluctant to hire amid higher energy prices tied to the conflict involving the U.S., Israel and Iran, import-tariff headwinds, tighter immigration policy and rising retirements that are reducing labor supply.