European shares inched higher on Thursday morning, as softer Chinese data kept alive talk of further central bank policy easing to tackle declining global growth.

On the macro front, investors awaited weekly U.S. jobless claims, due at 1230 GMT, as well as wholesale inventories, due at 1400 GMT.

Rupert Murdoch's News Corp (NWSA.O) posted a quarterly loss on Wednesday after taking $2.85 billion of non-cash restructuring and impairment charges that overshadowed growth at its cable networks, the company's only major bright spot.

Several private equity firms that have been approached to join in a buyout of Best Buy (BBY.N) are sitting on the fence, private equity sources said, citing the lack of a tangible plan by the retailer's founder Richard Schulze, and doubts about his ability to pull the deal off.

Research in Motion Ltd (RIM.TO) said a U.S. judge had ruled the company had not infringed on Mformation Technologies Inc's patent and overturned an award of $147.2 million that a jury said the Canadian firm should pay.

Zynga Inc's (ZNGA.O) chief operating officer John Schappert has resigned, the company said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday, a move that was foreshadowed by a recent management shakeup at the game publisher.

SunPower Corp (SPWR.O) posted better-than-expected second-quarter results on Wednesday, but the company disappointed Wall Street by forecasting a loss in the current quarter, and its shares fell after hours.

Chinese demand for automobiles slowed further in July from the previous two months as an economic slowdown and weak consumer confidence weighed on sales.

Nestle (NESN.VX), the world's biggest food group, said it expects raw material prices to ease in the second half of the year. That should help it meet its outlook despite continued tough markets after it reported forecast-beating first half results.

The Standard & Poor's 500 barely extended a streak of gains to a fourth day on Wednesday, ending above 1,400 in another thinly traded session.

The Dow Jones industrial average .DJI rose 7.04 points, or 0.05 percent, to 13,175.64 at the close. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index .SPX edged up just 0.87 of a point, or 0.06 percent, to finish at 1,402.22. But the Nasdaq Composite Index .IXIC slipped 4.61 points, or 0.15 percent, to end at 3,011.25.

(Reporting by Blaise Robinson; Editing by Susan Fenton)

• A Permanent Economic Emergency