Markets in Toronto looked set to open flat to slightly higher on Friday with the focus on jobs data from Canada and the United States.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index remained positive 20.98 points to end Thursday at 12,166.66
The Canadian dollar dipped 0.06 cents to 95.04 cents U.S. Friday
National Bank Financial raised the target price on Transat AT Inc to $13.50 from $9, harbouring the opinion that the improved pricing on trans-Atlantic routes will translate into an increase in EBITDA for the summer
Speaking of things economic, Statistics Canada told us that In June, employment was virtually unchanged and the unemployment rate remained at 7.1%.
In the first half of 2013, employment growth averaged 14,000 per month, slower than the average of 27,000 in the last six months of 2012.
The agency also said that over this 12-month period, employment grew by 242,000, or 1.4%, and the total number of hours worked increased by 0.6%.
Also on the slate for today: the IVEY Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) report for June, due out at 10 a.m. In May, the index came in at 63.1, up from 52.2 in April.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 4.44 points Thursday to 885.62
ON WALLSTREET
Buoyed by stable interest rates in Europe and anticipation of moderate U.S. job growth, traders and investors are coming back from the Fourth of July holiday in a bullish mood.
Futures for the Dow Industrials jumped 138 points, or 0.9%, to 15,054. Futures for the S&P 500 hoisted 15 points, or 0.9 %, to 1,624.10, and futures for the NASDAQ gained 21.50, or 0.7%, to 2,958.
The U.S. Labor Department released its monthly jobs report, which showed that the economy added 195,000 jobs, with the unemployment rate holding steady at 7.6%. Economists predicted a jump of 155,000 jobs and for the unemployment rate to fall to 7.5% in June.
Investors will also be monitoring the political turmoil in Egypt, which has sent oil prices higher in the past few days, and in Portugal, where leaders are trying to prevent a government collapse that would undermine its 78-billion-euro bailout.
U.S. stocks finished slightly higher Wednesday. American markets were closed Thursday for the Fourth of July holiday.
European markets rallied strongly Thursday and were mixed in Friday midday trading.
Asian markets ended with gains. The Hang Seng index and the Nikkei in Japan both ran up by roughly 2%. The Shanghai Composite index edged up by 0.1%
Oil prices added 54 cents to $101.78 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices fell $13.20 to $1,238.70 U.S.
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