Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Friday as investors took in employment figures for July as well as U.S. payroll data.
The S&P/TSX Composite inched higher 16.73 points to close Thursday trading at 14,528.78. September futures moved up 0.2%.
The Canadian dollar dipped 0.02 cents to 76.79 cents U.S. early Friday
Bombardier reported a slightly bigger-than-expected quarterly loss as revenue fell in its business jets unit and margins weakened in its commercial aircraft division.
Telus Corp. reported a higher-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by lower operating expenses.
Canadian auto parts maker Magna International reported a 3.7% rise in quarterly profit, helped by strong vehicle sales in North America and Europe.
RBC raised the rating on WSP Global to outperform from sector perform
FirstEnergy raised the rating on Baytex Energy to outperform from market perform
BMO raised the rating on Veresen to market perform from underperform
On the economic scene, Statistics Canada reported that, after three months of little change, employment declined by 31,000, or 0.2%, in July. The unemployment rate increased 0.1 percentage point to 6.9%. The Canadian economy was expected to have added 10,000 jobs in July.
Also, the agency reported that Canada's imports increased 0.8% to $45.0 billion in June. Exports were up 0.6% to $41.4 billion. As a result, Canada's merchandise trade deficit with the world widened from $3.5 billion in May to a record $3.6 billion in June.
Later on this morning, Western University Ivey School of Business presents its Purchasing Managers’ Index for July.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange remained positive 2.24 points to end Thursday at 807.42
ON WALLSTREET
The market mood is positive this morning and U.S. stock futures are rising.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials hiked 25 points or 0.1%, to 18,298, while futures for the S&P 500 took on 3.75 points, or 0.2%, at 2,163. NASDAQ futures acquired nine points, or 0.2%, to 4,752.75
Magna and Virgin America are releasing earnings ahead of the open.
And then Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway will post earnings after the markets close.
Shares in Priceline and Kraft Heinz jumped in extended trading after each company posted better-than-expected earnings on Thursday afternoon.
On the flip side, shares in cyber-security firm FireEye look set to plunge at the open after the company reported it was cutting headcount in order to help the firm regain profitability.
And Zynga stock is heading south as investors reacted poorly to the latest turnaround update from the firm, which is behind online games like FarmVille and Words with Friends.
Economically speaking, the U.S. Labor Department reported that the economy stateside produced 255,000 jobs in July, with the unemployment rate steady at 4.9%.
Economists had predicted 182,000 jobs were added last month, with unemployment dipping to 4.8% from 4.9%.
The U.S. has gained over one million jobs so far this year, but the rate of job creation has been slower than in 2015.
European markets are all rising in early trading while most Asian markets ended the day with gains.
Oil prices docked 13 cents to $41.80 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices dropped 70 cents at $1,366.70 U.S. an ounce.
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