Markets in Toronto were poised for a higher opening on Friday, tracking global markets, after strong German economic growth data.
The S&P/TSX composite index closed Thursday up 78.35 points to 15,229.85. March futures improved 0.2% on Friday.
The Canadian dollar gained 0.15 cents to 80.09 cents U.S. early Friday.
Sun Media Corp said its Sun News Network has shut down after searching for a potential buyer for months.
TransCanada Corp is planning to ask the U.S. government for a permit to build a new 200-mile (322 km) pipeline from North Dakota across the border into Canada, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing a source.
Home Capital Group’s CEO told the media Thursday the mortgage lender is not being hurt by the oil price collapse and does not have any significant exposure to the Alberta market.
CIBC cut the rating on Great-West Lifeco to underperform
CIBC cut the rating on Mullen Group to underperform from sector performer.
Canaccord Genuity cut the target price Yellow Pages to $28 from $30
Economically speaking, Statistics Canada reported this morning that manufacturing sales rose 1.7% in December, despite a 9.3% drop in sales of petroleum and coal products.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange added 2.22 points Thursday to 692.44
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock futures are edging higher, European markets are rising in early trade and nearly all Asian markets closed with gains.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials surged 35 points, or 0.2%, to 17,967. Futures for the S&P 500 gained 3.5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,087.50, and futures for the NASDAQ took on 9.75 points, or 0.2%, to 4,354.50.
Red Robin Burgers and J.M. Smucker will report earnings before the opening bell.
Watch trading in Kraft Friday after the food giant announced a management shake-up and a quarterly loss of $398 million U.S.
The University of Michigan will post its monthly consumer sentiment index at 10 a.m. ET.
In Germany, the key Dax index has broken through the 11,000 mark for the first time, powered forward by better than expected economic growth figures.
One expert said markets were growing more optimistic about Ukraine and Greece.
A ceasefire in Ukraine was agreed Thursday and is expected to be enacted on Sunday.
And the European Central Bank is reportedly providing further emergency financing to Greek banks to ensure they can continue functioning smoothly even as fears remain that Greece could stumble out of the euro-zone. The FTSE Greek banking index is rising by 13%.
Oil prices gained 2.5% to $52.48 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices moved upward 0.6% to $1,228.50 U.S. an ounce.
