Stock futures pointed to a lower opening for indices in Toronto on Monday.
The S&P/TSX composite index was positive 121.51 points to conclude the last full week of 2014 at 14,468.26. Monday futures registered 0.3% lower.
The Canadian dollar was flat at 86.18 U.S. early Monday.
U.S. President Barack Obama said on Friday that construction of the Keystone XL pipeline to transport crude oil from Canada to the U.S. Gulf Coast would only nominally benefit American consumers and workers in perhaps his strongest comments on the Canada-to-U.S. pipeline to date.
BlackBerry Ltd is working with Boeing Co on a high-security Android-based smartphone, the mobile technology company's CEO said on Friday.
Morgan Stanley cut the target price on Ivanhoe Mines to $4.00 from $4.50
RBC cut the target price on Sirius XM Canada Holdings to $7.00 from $8.00
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 11.04 points Friday to 676.54
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock futures are all pointing higher following three consecutive days of big gains.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials tacked on 59 points, or 0.3%, to 17,820. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 5.25 points, or 0.3%, to 2,072.25, and futures for the NASDAQ picked up 0.25 points, to 4,283.00
Markets are still drawing support from comments last week from Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen, who said the central bank would be very "patient" before raising interest rates.
Signs of stability in the oil market are also helping. U.S. crude futures -- which had plunged 50% in six months – improved markedly.
Sony shares will be closely watched Monday after the attorney representing Sony Pictures said over the weekend that the studio is "still exploring options" for distributing the controversial film "The Interview." The shares were up 1% in Japan.
In a CNN interview on Friday, Sony Entertainment CEO Michael Lynton said the studio had not "given in" to pressure from hackers and was still considering ways to distribute the movie.
Later this morning, the latest monthly figures on U.S. existing home sales will be released.
Most major European markets gained about 1% in early trading.
In London, large oil companies are performing well, helped by higher oil prices. Royal Dutch Shell is leading the gainers with a 2.5% surge.
Over in Asia, all the major stock markets closed with solid gains. Australia's key index led the way with a 1.9% jump.
Firmer oil is also helping Russian markets. The ruble is rising against the dollar, trimming its losses for the year to 42%.
Oil prices dipped 42 cents to $56.71 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices dropped one dollar to $1,195.00 U.S. an ounce.
