Stock futures pointed to a lower opening for Canada's main stock index on Friday as investors awaited the U.S. April payrolls report for more clues about the interest rate outlook in the world's largest economy. Jobs figures were due on this side of the border as well.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index eked up 0.01 points to close Thursday at 13,632.01
The Canadian dollar faded 0.14 cents to 77.66 cents U.S. early Friday.
Boosted by a pivotal CSeries deal with Delta Air Lines, Bombardier Inc is rekindling sales talks with several U.S. and European carriers, even as it eyes China, the world's fastest-growing aviation nation.
NBF raised the rating on Canadian Natural Resources to outperform from sector perform
Barclays cut the target on CI Financial to $29.00 from $30.00 with an overweight rating
RBC Capital raised the target price on SNC-Lavalin Group to $54.00 from $53.00, with an outperform
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported that the economy lost 2,100 jobs in April, leaving the unemployment rate at 7.1%.
Moreover, Western University’s IVEY Purchasing Managers Index was due out for April around 10 a.m. ET.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange picked up 3.77 points Thursday to 657.14
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock futures are not making any major moves ahead of the open.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials dropped 35 points, or 0.2%, to 17,539, while futures for the S&P 500 dipped five points, or 0.2%, to 2,039. NASDAQ futures slipped 8.75 points, or 0.2%, to 4,291.50
It's been an exciting earnings season so far and a few more companies are reporting results on Friday.
Berkshire Hathaway -- the massive conglomerate run by famed investor Warren Buffett -- is the main company that investors will be watching after the close.
ArcelorMittal, Exelon and Gogo are some of the other key companies reporting before the opening bell.
On the economic slate, the U.S. Department of Labor reported this hour that the economy south of the line added 160,000 jobs, well off the recent pace. Thus, the unemployment rate in the United States held steady at 5%.
European markets are mostly slipping lower in early trading. Most Asian markets ended the day in the red.
Oil prices hesitated 65 cents to $43.67 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices acquired 80 cents to $1,278.54 U.S. an ounce.
