Futures for stocks in Canada’s largest centre were lower on Friday, as investors around the world awaited a U.S. jobs report that could influence the timing of the Federal Reserve's next rate hike.
The S&P/TSX Composite lost 15.08 points to end Thursday at 14,595.50. December futures were off 0.2% Friday.
The Canadian dollar doffed 0.26 cents to 75.40 cents U.S. early Friday.
Agrium Inc and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan said in a Thursday filing that their shareholders will hold separate meetings next month to vote on a merger agreement between the two fertilizer companies
A Canadian court ruled on Thursday that a lawsuit filed against Nevsun Resources by Eritreans who say they were forced to work at the company's Bisha mine can proceed in British Columbia, but not as a single case
Canaccord Genuity raises target price on Pengrowth Energy to $2.40 from $2.15, with a hold rating
Desjardins raised the rating on Sandvine Corp to buy from hold
Deutsche Bank raised the rating on Teck Resources to buy from hold
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada reported that the economy created -67,000 jobs during September, the lion’s share of them part-time. With more folks seeking work, the agency added that the unemployment rate stayed put at 7%.
Elsewhere, Western University comes out with its IVEY Purchasing Managers’ Index for September at 10 a.m. ET.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange faded 12.19 points, or 1.6%, Thursday to 766.31
ON WALL STREET
U.S. stock futures are slipping lower.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials eased 32 points, or 0.2%, to 18,167, while futures for the S&P 500 slid 5.5 points, or 0.3%, to 2,151. NASDAQ futures dipped 10.75 points, or 0.2%, at 4,861.25
Carnival shares were down nearly 2% in pre-market trading. The cruise company has been forced to reroute some of its ships because of Hurricane Matthew.
Meantime, job creation in the States fell short last month, with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reporting the economy created 156,000 jobs, driving the unemployment rate up to 5%.
Economists had forecast that the economy added 175,000 jobs in September, and for the jobless rate to hold at 4.9%. The economy added 155,000 jobs in August.
The data will help inform the U.S. Federal Reserve as it considers whether to hike interest rates later this year. It's also likely to play into campaign rhetoric
Internationally, investors in Britain woke up to discover the pound suffered a mysterious flash crash during the wee hours of the night, plunging 6% to $1.18 U.S.
The currency quickly recovered most of its losses to trade around $1.24 U.S. The jury is still out on what triggered the brief episode, but computer trading algorithms likely played a role.
Trading was mixed in Europe, with both Germany's DAX and France's CAC 40 down 0.7%. Britain's FTSE 100 continued its habit of posting gains while the pound falls.
Asian markets ended mixed.
Oil prices skidded eight cents to $50.36 U.S. a barrel
Gold prices gained $1.80 to $1,254.80 U.S. an ounce.
