Futures on Canada's main stock index rose on Friday as investors awaited inflation and retail sales data.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index stayed positive – but barely – 3.52 points to close Thursday at 15,277.20 June futures moved ahead 0.2% Friday
The Canadian dollar hiked 0.23 cents to 73.7 cents U.S. early Friday.
Home Capital Group on Thursday published data showing that its high interest savings account balances had risen on Wednesday but its cashable guaranteed income certificate deposits continued to fall.
TD Securities raised the target price on ATS Automation Tooling Systems to $14.50 from $13.00
Berenberg raised the rating on Lundin Mining to buy from hold
Economically speaking, Statistics Canada reported this country’s consumer price index gained 1.6% on a year-over-year basis in April, matching the increase in March. On a seasonally-adjusted monthly basis, CPI was up 0.5% in April, after decreasing 0.2% in March.
Elsewhere, retail sales rose 0.7% in March to $48.3 billion, following a 0.4% decline in February. This, on the strength of higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers. Sales were up in six of 11 sub-sectors, representing 53% of total retail trade.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange skidded 6.9 points Thursday to 800.88
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Friday as concerns over the stability of the U.S. administration eased
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 32 points, or 0.2%, to 20,676. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 6.25 points, or 0.3%, to 2,369.75. NASDAQ futures jumped 21.75 points, or 0.4%, to 5,652.50.
The Dow recovered on Thursday from its worst day of 2017, gaining around 55 points. Wednesday’s tumble amounted 372 points, on the back of news that Comey put together a memo outlining a conversation in which Trump allegedly asked him to halt an investigation into former National Security adviser Michael Flynn.
Among stocks reporting earnings, Deere and Foot Locker both reported quarterly results before the bell. Foot Locker missed on both sales and profit, while Deere beat estimates on both lines.
Oil prices took on 63 cents to $49.98 U.S. per barrel.
Gold prices climbed 80 cents to $1,253.60 U.S. an ounce.
