Markets in Toronto looked set to open higher on Monday, as encouraging global economic data last week offset worries about political tensions in the euro-zone.
The S&P/TSX composite index was positive 45.31 points to close Friday at 12,801.23. This morning, futures nosed up 0.1%.
The Canadian dollar let go of 0.51 cents to 99.22 cents U.S. early Friday.
Cameco reported sharply lower quarterly profit on Friday after taking a $168-million write-down on an Australian exploration project. The company also said the current quarter would likely produce weaker earnings as well.
Elsewhere in the company news, Canadian National Railway Co has halted a study into the feasibility of building a $5-billion rail line to ship iron ore from northern Quebec to port, as miners delay projects due to low prices.
There is no major Canadian data due for release today.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange decreased 0.3 points Friday to 1,205.81
ON WALLSTREET
Monday could be a quiet day of trading, with no major economic or corporate reports on tap and many investors on the East Coast still digging out from the weekend's historic blizzard.
Futures for the Dow Industrials took on 29 points, or 0.2%, to 13,955. Futures for the S&P 500 gained one point to 1,513.40, and futures for the NASDAQ increased 1.50 points to 2,773.50
Fourth-quarter earnings season has just about wrapped up, though firms including Coca-Cola, General Motors and PepsiCo will report later this week.
Markets have had a good run so far this year. The Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 are both up nearly 7% and near their all-time highs, while the Nasdaq has gained nearly 6%.
U.S. stocks finished higher Friday, with the Nasdaq and S&P 500 logging their sixth straight week of gains.
In company news, Google disclosed late Friday that executive chairman Eric Schmidt plans to sell 3.2 million shares of his stock in the company, worth about $2.5 billion U.S. Shares of Google were lower in pre-market trading.
European markets were mixed in morning trading. Exchanges in Tokyo, Shanghai and Hong Kong were closed for holidays.
Oil prices deferred 44 cents to $95.27 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices fell $18.20 an ounce to $1,648.70 U.S.
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