Car sales, chain store sales and manufacturing data — all things that make the economy run — could lift stocks in Thursday's session, following on the Dow's biggest one-day rally since the bull market began.

A surprise, coordinated move by the Fed and five other central banks to ease strains in financial markets, along with surprising improvement in U.S. economic reports, drove the Dow Wednesday to 12,045, up 490 points for its best one day gain since March 23, 2009. The S&P 500 rose 4.3 percent to 1,246, its best gain since Aug. 11.

Europe will again be in the foreground Thursday as European officials work to find solutions for the sovereign debt crisis, ahead of next week's EU summit. European Central Bank President Mario Draghi briefs the European parliament Thursday on the ECB's annual report, and Spain and France hold bond auctions.

But Friday's monthly employment report swings some focus back to key U.S. data, including weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. EST and the 10 a.m. ISM manufacturing survey, watched both for what it says about manufacturing activity and jobs.

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