After recording their biggest single-day fall in five-and-a-half months Wednesday, stocks in Toronto looked set to open lower still on Thursday as speculation about the timing of the U.S. Federal Reserve's stimulus program continued to weigh on investor sentiment.
The S&P/TSX composite index plummeted 190.59 points, or 1.4%, to end Wednesday’s session at 13,133.42, with Thursday futures down 0.2%.
The Canadian dollar nicked ahead 0.01 cents to 94.45 cents U.S. early Thursday
BRP Inc, the maker of Ski-Doo snowmobiles and Sea-Doo watercraft, reported a 52% rise in quarterly profit, driven by strong shipments of snowmobiles worldwide, and it raised its full-year adjusted profit forecast.
Travel operator Transat AT Inc's quarterly profit more than tripled as better pricing boosted margins.
Bombardier Inc. said that American Airlines Group Inc would buy 30 of its CRJ900 NextGen aircraft and had also taken options on an additional 40 planes.
Air Canada said on Wednesday it will purchase up to 109 of Boeing Co's 737 MAX under its narrow-body fleet renewal plan, a major win for the aircraft maker and significant shift in supplier for Canada's largest carrier.
Canadian National Railway Co. said on Wednesday that it aims to improve its industry-leading operating efficiency over the next three years, even as it carries more goods.
Cenovus Energy said it expected to spend 13% less in 2014, and forecast a 10% jump in oil production.
On the economic front, Statistics Canada’s new housing price index came in for October up 0.1%, following no change in September.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange skidded 6.96 points Wednesday to 897.03
ON WALLSTREET
It's turning into a disappointing December for stocks and markets look unlikely to break out of their torpor Thursday.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials settled 21 points, or 0.1%, to 15,815. Futures for the S&P 500 faded 2.6 points, or 0.2%, to 1,778.20, and futures for the NASDAQ slipped 3.25 points, or 0.1%, to 3,467.25
Yogawear producer lululemon reported earnings and revenue that beat forecasts but its outlook was disappointing, sending shares sharply lower in premarket trading. Adobe Systems reports in the afternoon.
Facebook shares were up after Standard & Poor's announced that the social networking giant will be added to its benchmark S&P 500 index later this month.
Hilton Worldwide will start trading on the New York Stock Exchange Thursday after raising $2.4 billion U.S. through an initial public offering. Food services company Aramark will also start trading after raising $725 million U.S. through an IPO.
The U.S. government will release its weekly report on initial jobless claims today, as well as its monthly report on retail sales.
European markets were mixed to slightly weaker in morning trading.
Asian markets ended lower amid growing concern that the U.S. Fed could begin tapering asset purchases as early as next week. Japan's Nikkei 225 dropped 1.1% while Hong Kong's Hang Seng slid 0.5%, despite a blockbuster market debut for China Cinda
Oil prices gained 35 cents to $97.79 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices sank $21.00 at $1,236.20 U.S. an ounce.
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