Futures edge higher on German growth; data on tap

U.S. stock index futures inched higher on Friday, with gains in the prior session having moved the S&P 500 to within 2 points of a closing record, after upbeat economic data from Germany and ahead of a reading on U.S. consumer confidence. * Germany grew 0.7 percent in the fourth quarter, more than double the expected 0.3 percent, pointing to a stronger 2015 for the region's biggest economy and fueling optimism about growth in the broader euro zone.