U.S. stock index futures rose Thursday, boosted by strong results from Meta Platforms. Futures linked to the Dow Jones Industrial Average advanced by 151 points, or 0.5%. Nasdaq-100 futures gained 0.9%, while S&P 500 futures added 0.5%. Futures pared some gains after GDP data showed less economic growth than expected. The U.S. economy grew 1.1% in the first quarter, while economists polled by Dow Jones forecasted an expansion of 2%. The report also showed stronger-than-expected inflation, with prices increasing 4% compared with a consensus estimate of 3.7%. Meta shares leapt more than 12% as the company reported quarterly revenue that beat analysts’ expectations. The company also issued stronger-than expected guidance for the current period. Caterpillar, often seen as a barometer of the global economy, traded modestly higher after posting much better-than-anticipated results. Tech giants Amazon and Intel will share their quarterly results after the closing bell Thursday. Liz Young, head of investment at SoFi, warned investors that despite the majority of S&P 500 companies reporting earnings higher than expectations, the worst is not yet behind the market. “We’ve seen expectations get revised downward about 15%,” she said. “So the fact that companies are beating those lowered expectations — although probably a good thing for sentiment in the moment, because markets don’t like to hear about misses — we’re beating pretty unimpressive numbers.” Asia-Pacific markets were largely higher on Thursday as investors focus on the Bank of Japan’s first policy meeting led by new BOJ governor Kazuo Ueda. In Japan, the Nikkei 225 rose 0.15% to close at 28,457.68 and the Topix climbed 0.43% to end the day at 2,032.51, while Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 was down 0.32% to finish at 7,292.7. South Korea’s Kospi gained 0.44% to finish at 2,495.81 and the Kosdaq closed 2.38% up at 850.21, even as electronics giant Samsung Electronics posted a 94% year-on-year drop in operating profit for the first quarter. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index advanced 0.35%, but the Hang Seng Tech index was down 0.38%. Mainland Chinese markets were all higher, with the Shenzhen Component 0.28% up to end at 11,217 and the Shanghai Composite gaining 0.67% to finish at 3,285.88 . Singapore’s benchmark Straits Times Index inched down 0.3%. Oil prices rose slightly on Thursday, finding some support after heavy losses in the previous two sessions that were driven by fears of a U.S. recession and an increase in Russian oil exports which dulled the impact of OPEC production cuts. Brent crude was trading at $77.98 a barrel, up 29 cents, or 0.4%. U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude added 20 cents or 0.3% to trade at $74.50. Gold prices rose on Thursday as a softer dollar rekindled some of bullion’s appeal for overseas buyers, while investors braced for a host of U.S. economic data ahead of a crucial Federal Reserve policy meeting next week. Spot gold rose 0.4% to $1,997.59 per ounce, while U.S. gold futures climbed 0.5% to $2,006.60.