(Updates prices) *Futures higher on optimism about deals *Jobless claims tick up, NY manufacturing weakens *A number of Federal Reserve officials to speak By Kristina Cooke NEW YORK, May 15 (Reuters) - U.S. stock index futures ticked...

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Hewlett-Packard Co has struck a deal to buy Electronic Data Systems Corp for $12.6 billion, seeking to boost its technology services business to better compete against market leader IBM. The companies said the deal values EDS at...