US STOCKS-Futures flat before weekly jobless claims report

* Jobless claims, import-export data due

* Kerry in Geneva for talks with Russia on Syria

* Futures: Dow up 1 pt, S&P off 0.3 pt, Nasdaq up 3 pts

By Chuck Mikolajczak

NEW YORK, Sept 12 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures were little changed on Thursday after a seven-days straight rise by stocks and before a jobless claims report which could influence investors' bets about the Federal Reserve's stimulus policy.

Jobless claims data is due at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT). Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a total of 330,000 new filings compared with 323,000 in the prior week.

"Because we don't have a whole lot of data, it makes any data that we have in the spotlight," said Kim Forrest, senior equity research analyst at Fort Pitt Capital Group in Pittsburgh.

"The claims data should be pretty much in line. I don't think there have been any events that would change how many people are getting laid off or not laid off."

The S&P 500 has risen 3.4 percent over the past seven sessions, its longest winning streak in two months, as concerns about a Western military strike against Syria have faded and stocks have been buoyed by stronger-than-expected economic data from China.

The United States will insist Syria take rapid steps to show it is serious about abandoning its chemical arsenal, senior U.S. officials said, as Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Geneva for talks with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov.

Employment is a key component of the central bank's planning for economic stimulus, known as quantitative easing, and claims data will be closely watched after the weaker-than-expected report on August job creation last Friday.

The Fed will hold a two-day policy meeting ending on Wednesday when a decision is expected about changes to its bond purchases of $85 billion a month to boost the economy.

Economists at a majority of U.S. primary dealers expect the Fed to announce it will cut its bond purchases, according to a recent Reuters poll.

Also due at 8:30 a.m. (1230 GMT) are import-export prices for August. Economists in a Reuters survey forecast a 0.4 percent rise in import prices and a 0.1 percent increase in exports.

S&P 500 futures fell 0.3 points and were roughly even with fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones (DJI: ^DJI - news) industrial average futures shed 1 points, and Nasdaq 100 futures added 3 points.

Facebook Inc (NasdaqGS: FB - news) shares rose 1.2 percent to $45.58 in premarket trade, a day after shares in the world's No. 1 social network hit an all-time high.

Lululemon Athletica Inc (NasdaqGS: LULU - news) slumped 8 percent to $63.50 before the opening bell after the yogawear retailer reported second-quarter results.

S&P Dow Jones Indices announced late Wednesday that Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc and Ametek Inc (NYSE: AME - news) will replace Advanced Micro Devices Inc (NYSE: AMD - news) and SAIC Inc (NYSE: SAI - news) in the S&P 500 after the close of trading on Sept. 20.

European shares gave up early gains on Thursday, led lower by a sales update from Swiss luxury goods group Richemont and by data giving a weaker-than-expected view of the euro zone economy.

Asian shares surrendered earlier gains as a stronger yen and downbeat economic data helped push Japan's Nikkei stock average down 0.3 percent.