Stock futures pointed to a slightly higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Thursday as commodity prices rose on dovish signals from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index moved into the red 30.98 points to finish Wednesday’s trading at 15,171.39. September futures eked up 0.1% Thursday.
The Canadian dollar faded 0.27 cents to 80.07 U.S. early Thursday
Potash Corp of Saskatchewan reported better-than-expected revenue on Thursday as it sold more potash at higher prices compared with last year.
Crescent Point Energy Corp posted a quarterly profit, compared with a year-earlier loss, helped by higher realized oil prices and an increase in production.
Cenovus Energy Inc on Thursday reported a profit in the second quarter compared to a year-ago loss, helped by its purchase of ConocoPhillips' Canadian oil sands assets.
Raymond James cut the price target on AGT Food and Ingredients to $32.00 from $35.00
RBC cut the rating on First National Financial to underperform from sector perform
GMP raised the target price on Prairiesky Royalty to $31.00 from $30.00
On things macroeconomic, Statistics Canada reported average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees registered at $972 in May, virtually unchanged from April but up 2.0% from 12 months earlier.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 6.43 points Wednesday to 770.20.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday, as investors continued to wade through the busiest day of the earnings season.
Ahead of the opening bell, futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 28 points, or 0.1%, to 21,674. Futures for the S&P 500 acquired 5.5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,478.75. NASDAQ futures picked up 34.25 points, or 0.6%, to 5,982.25
Comcast and Dow-component Verizon are among the companies that posted quarterly results before the bell. Amazon.com and Starbucks are among the firms set to report after the close.
A slew of data is due out this morning, including jobless claims, durable goods orders, advance economic indicators and the Chicago Fed's National Activity Index.
The Kansas City Fed's manufacturing survey is set to follow all that, slated to come out at 11 a.m. ET.
European markets traded mixed approaching noon Thursday on the continent, while the Nikkei 225 in Japan strengthened 0.2%, and
Shanghai’s CSI 300 improved 0.2%.
Oil prices eked ahead eight cents to $48.83 U.S. per barrel.
Gold prices brightened $12.70 to $1,262.10 U.S. an ounce.
