Equity markets in Toronto looked set to open unchanged to slightly higher on Monday, the penultimate day of 2013, as investors remained generally upbeat on the global economic outlook for next year.
The S&P/TSX composite index shot higher 69.96 points to conclude Friday at 13,587.98, with morning futures up only 0.01%.
The Canadian dollar fell back 0.12 cents to 93.32 cents U.S. early Monday
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange muscled higher 15.81 points Friday to 919.09
ON WALLSTREET
It could be a quiet day Monday as markets approach the end of an exceptionally strong year.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials took on nine points to 16,430. Futures for the S&P 500 dropped 0.3 points to 1,836.20, and futures for the NASDAQ unloaded 0.75 points to 3,569.50.
U.S. stocks ended little changed Friday but they're capping off a stellar year. All three indexes have risen more than 25% in 2013.
Shares of Crocs surged 14% in pre-market trading Monday, after private equity firm Blackstone Group agreed to invest about $200 million in the company. Crocs also announced a $350-million stock buyback and said CEO John McCarvel was retiring.
Shares of Alcoa edged lower amid reports that Ford will reveal in January that it will start using military grade Alcoa metal in its best-selling F-150 pickups.
On the international front, European markets were relatively flat in morning trading.
Asian markets ended with mixed results. Japan's Nikkei 225 closed the day on a high note, rising 0.7%. The benchmark index has surged more than 50% since the start of 2013 as government policies helped boost investor sentiment.
Oil prices fell 56 cents to $99.76 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices subsided $11.40 at $1,202.60 U.S. an ounce.
