Canada's main stock index looked set to open slightly higher on Wednesday, though investors remain cautious ahead of North American jobs data on Friday and this week's policy decisions by the Bank of Japan and European Central Bank.
The S&P/TSX index fell back 13.04 points to end Tuesday at 12,682.10
The Canadian dollar forged ahead 0.07 cents to 98.63 cents U.S. early Wednesday.
In company news, Suncor Energy Inc. said its average oil sands production rose 6.2% to 375,000 barrels per day in March from 353,000 the previous month.
Separately, the reserve estimate for the company's Terra Nova field offshore Newfoundland has been raised by 21%, the Canada-Newfoundland and Labrador Offshore Petroleum Board said on Tuesday.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange shed 20.46 points Tuesday to 1,078.67
ON WALLSTREET
A day after the Dow and S&P 500 closed at new highs, investors will be eying several economic indicators released ahead of the government's closely watched monthly jobs report.
Futures for the Dow Industrials faded five points to 14,579. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 0.8 points to 1,565.20, and futures for the NASDAQ took on 1.75 points to 2,814.50.
The payroll-processing firm ADP reported Wednesday that the U.S private sector added 158,000 jobs in March. The number fell below economists' forecasts.
The report cams ahead of Friday's jobs report from the U.S. Labor Department that is forecast to show another month of strong job gains. At 10 a.m. ET today, the Institute for Supply Management will publish its monthly service-sector index.
On the corporate front, food producer ConAgra and agribusiness Monsanto are set to release quarterly results before the opening bell.
U.S. stocks rose Tuesday, buoyed in part by strength in the health-care sector. U.S. stock futures were slightly higher Wednesday.
Shares of online gaming firm Zynga shot 11% higher in pre-market trading after the company announced it would debut its first real money games -- ZyngaPlusPoker and ZyngaPlusCasino -- in the U.K. on Wednesday.
Retailer J.C. Penney's shares edged slightly higher in pre-market trading after the company disclosed late Tuesday that it had slashed the pay of CEO Ron Johnson.
But Tesla shares were down nearly 3% in pre-market trading, as investors were underwhelmed by the electric car maker's announcement of a new financing option for buyers.
European markets slipped slightly in morning trading, while Asian markets ended mixed.
The Shanghai Composite and the Hang Seng lost 0.1%, while Japan’s Nikkei 225 added 3% as the Bank of Japan was expected to announce deflation fighting measures in its first meeting under the leadership of Haruhiko Kuroda
Oil prices registered at $96.58 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices came in at $1,573.20 U.S.
Related Stories
