Futures for Canada's main stock index were slightly lower on Thursday, ahead of a long Easter weekend, after world markets erased this week's gains on fears of a slowdown in global growth following weak manufacturing surveys from Asia and Europe.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index gained 42.04 points to conclude business on Wednesday at 16,544.24
The Canadian dollar gave back 0.15 cents to 74.76 cents U.S. early Thursday
June futures lost 0.1% Thursday.
Markets will be closed Friday for Good Friday
Rogers Communications reported an 8% fall in quarterly profit, as the company recorded lower revenue in both its wireless equipment and media segments.
Canopy Growth Corp is reportedly close to a deal to buy U.S.-based pot firm Acreage Holdings.
Katanga Mining, a unit of Glencore Plc , on Wednesday named Glencore Coal's chief development officer Jeff Gerard to the top job, taking over from Danny Callow.
National Bank of Canada cut the target price on Almaden Minerals to $1.20 from $1.40
CIBC raised the price target on Kinder Morgan Canada to $15.00 from $14.75
Credit Suisse raised the price target on Teck Resources to $42 from $38
On the economic calendar, Statistics Canada said, following three consecutive monthly declines, retail sales rose 0.8% in February to $50.6 billion. Sales were up in five of 11 sectors, representing 73% of retail trade.
Also, in February, 441,200 people received regular Employment Insurance benefits, an increase of 4,400 or 1.0% from January.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange eked higher 0.08 points Wednesday to 610.05
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures fell on Thursday, the last trading day of the week, after the release of weak economic data out of Europe as Wall Street awaited the release of more earnings reports.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 29 points, or 0.1%, to 26,399.
Futures for the S&P 500 dipped 1.5 points, or 0.1%, at 2,899
NASDAQ futures slid six points, or 0.1%, to 7,683.75
On Thursday, Honeywell and BB&T both reported better-than-expected earnings. Travelers also posted a stronger-than-forecast profit.
So far, more than 78% of the S&P 500 companies that have reported have topped analyst expectations.
On the data front, there will be retail sales this morning, as well as weekly jobless claims.
German flash manufacturing Purchasing Managers Indexes rebounded slightly but remained squarely in contraction territory, while manufacturing activity in France hit a four-year low, according to data from IHS Markit.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 dipped 0.8% Thursday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index sank 0.5%.
Oil prices gained 31 cents to $64.07 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices moved up $1.70 to $1,278.50 U.S. an ounce.
