Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for equities in Toronto on Friday as U.S. oil prices soared to a two-year high with North American markets tightening on the partial closure of the Keystone pipeline.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index held onto gains of only 0.72 points to close Thursday at 16,074.30
The Canadian dollar nicked higher 0.03 cents at 78.68 cents U.S. Friday morning.
December futures added 0.2% Friday.
Canada's biggest securities regulator on Thursday ruled that Omega Securities could continue to run its two alternative trading systems ahead of a hearing on whether it is operating in breach of Ontario provincial law.
The United Steelworkers said on Thursday it reached a tentative agreement with Noranda Income Fund on a new labour deal for 371 striking workers at a zinc refinery in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec.
RBC raised the price target on Dollarama Inc. to $161.00 from $143.00
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange inched up 1.29 points Thursday to 792.78
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open Friday, as investors gear up for more data during a shortened trading day.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials galloped 66 points, or 0.3%, to 23,551
S&P 500 futures added seven points, or 0.3%, at 2,601.50, while futures on the NASDAQ Composite index gained 10.75 points, or 0.2%, to 6,400.25
Markets were closed Thursday in the U.S. for Thanksgiving. Equity markets will close at 1 p.m. EST Friday.
While no major earnings are set to be published Friday, investors are likely to be paying close attention to how certain retailers perform as the Black Friday shopping spree commences.
On the data front, Flash U.S. composite purchasing managers’ index (PMI) data is set to be released at 9:45 a.m. EST.
Overseas, European stocks fluctuated around the flat line nearing noon local time, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 inched up 0.1%, and in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index acquired only 1.8 points.
Oil prices picked up 69 cents to $58.91 U.S. per barrel.
Gold prices faded $3.80 to $1,288.40 U.S. an ounce.
