Stock futures advance after four-day skid, data on tap

U.S. stock index futures rose on Thursday, indicating the S&P 500 may snap a four-day slide ahead of data on the labor market.

* Sprint Nextel Corp shares jumped 10.9 percent to $5.59 in premarket trade after a source familiar with the matter told Reuters Softbank Corp <9984.T>, Japan's third-largest mobile carrier, is in talks to acquire a majority stake in the No. 3 wireless carrier in the United States.

* Major retail stocks led European shares higher after three days of losses, although traders said a rating cut for Spain could peg back markets to the tight trading range seen in the last month.

(Editing by Bernadette Baum)