Stock futures pointed to a higher opening in Toronto on Friday, following a recovery in metal and crude oil prices.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index dropped 13.76 points to close Thursday at 13,379.14
The Canadian dollar bolted higher 0.56 cents to 75.48 cents U.S. early Friday.
Hudson's Bay Co plans to invest one billion euros ($1.12 billion U.S.) in its German chain Kaufhof over the next five to seven years.
National Bank Financial raised the rating on AG Growth International to outperform
National Bank raised the rating on First Quantum to outperform from sector perform
Canaccord Genuity cut the target price on Gaming Nation to speculative buy from buy
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported employment moved downward 2,300 in February, as gains in part-time work were offset by losses in full-time.
The agency also told us the unemployment rate rose by 0.1 percentage points for the third consecutive month, reaching 7.3% for the first time since March 2013.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange remained positive 4.9 points Thursday to 574.52
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock futures are jumping ahead of the open.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials shuttled higher 133 points, or 0.8%, to 17,033, futures for the S&P 500 strengthened 17 points, or 0.9%, to 1,996.5. NASDAQ futures picked up 43.5 points, or 1%, to 4,319.25
The International Energy Agency published a monthly report Friday that predicted the worst of the oil price crash may now be over. Non-OPEC production may be falling faster than the agency predicted a month ago, and Iran's return to world markets has been more gradual than expected
Dramatic policy actions on Thursday from the European Central Bank -- and comments from ECB President Mario Draghi -- still seem to be reverberating through the markets.
The central bank cut interest rates, expanded its bond buying program and said it would pump more money into the economy as it tries to head off deflation in the euro-zone.
And European markets are surging in early trading, gaining between 1% and 2%. Asian markets closed the week on a positive note.
Oil prices acquired 89 cents to $38.73 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices settled $6.74 to $1,265.51 U.S. an ounce.
