Canadian stock index futures pointed to a slightly higher open in Toronto on Friday following weakness on Thursday and a turbulent overnight session in Asia.
The S&P/TSX composite index faded 27.36 points, to conclude business Thursday at 13,594.19, but futures traded 0.2% higher Friday morning.
The Canadian dollar climbed 0.54 cents to 94.27 cents U.S. early Friday
Among stocks to watch, Alicia Keys and BlackBerry will cut ties at the end of January, just one year after the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter was hired as a "global creative director" for the struggling smartphone maker.
Canadian Pacific Railway Ltd. said it would sell the western part of its Dakota, Minnesota & Eastern Railroad to U.S.-based Genesee & Wyoming in a deal worth about $210 million.
RBC started coverage of Great-West Lifeco with a sector perform rating and price target of $33, saying the company's core earning per share growth should be solid, and reported earnings may surprise to the upside.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange grew 7.24 points Thursday to 939.21
ON WALLSTREET
After an exceptionally strong 2013 for stock markets, investors and traders seem to be caught in two minds at the start of the New Year.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 22 points, or 0.1%, to 16,410. Futures for the S&P 500 took on 5.2 points, or 0.3%, to 1,831.80, and futures for the NASDAQ strengthened 6.75 points, or 0.2%, to 3,566.
There is little in the way of U.S. economic and corporate reports scheduled for release Friday. The nation's automakers will announce their sales for December and all of 2013 throughout the day.
European markets were edging higher in morning trading. France's CAC 40 was up by roughly 0.5%.
Major Asian markets ended in the red, with Hong Kong's Hang Seng dropping by 2.2%.
Markets in Tokyo were closed for an extended new year break.
Oil prices dipped four cents to $95.40 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices gained $4.10 at $1,229.30 U.S. an ounce.
