Shares of Merck MRK.N slipped 7.8%. By Devik Jain Nov 5 (Reuters) - Futures tracking the S&P 500 and Nasdaq indexes hit a record high on Friday, boosted by a batch of strong earnings reports and Pfizer, while investors looked to monthly employment data for clues on the pace of economic growth. A stellar third-quarter reporting season, coupled with cheery outlook on earnings growth as well as a central bank in no rush to hike interest rates, has boosted investor appetite for equities, helping them look past worries about inflation, supply chain disruptions and labor shortages.