Canadian stocks are likely to open higher on Friday, supported by reports that China could fast-track infrastructure spending to boost its economy. No major Canadian data is scheduled.
The S&P/TSX composite index lost 5.26 points Thursday to finish at 14,178.84. June futures were up 0.2% Friday.
The Canadian dollar gathered 0.13 cents at 90.77 cents U.S. early Friday
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange tumbled 17.90 points Thursday to 985.35
ON WALLSTREET
Stock markets looked as if they had found some inspiration before the open on Friday, a positive sign for investors as the end of the first quarter draws near.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials tacked on 42 points, or 0.3%, to 16,224. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 5.7 points, or 0.3%, to 1,846.30, and futures for the NASDAQ grew 14.25 points, or 0.4%, at 3,568.50.
In corporate news, Finish Line will report earnings before the opening bell.
Blackberry reported a quarterly loss that was significantly lower than a year earlier, despite a hefty decline in revenue.
Shares in Blackberry have recovered by roughly 22% since the start of the year on hopes the company's CEO can revive the struggling smartphone maker.
However, shares have declined over the past few days as investors worry about the company's turnaround plans and Societe Generale downgraded the stock to sell.
The first three months of 2014 have been bumpy and it's possible all the major indexes could end the quarter in the red. The Dow Jones industrial average has declined by 1.9% since the start of the year. The NASDAQ is off by 0.6% and the S&P 500 is essentially flat over the same period.
The U.S. government will publish personal income and spending data for February on Friday morning
European markets were up in midday trading. The DAX in Germany advanced by 0.9%.
Most Asian markets closed out the trading day with gains, though the Shanghai Composite dipped by 0.2%
Oil prices tallied 27 cents to $101.55 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices docked $1.60 at $1,293.10 U.S. an ounce.
