Stocks in Toronto were aiming for higher ground Friday, to finish the last full week of April.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index hiked 127.84 points, to close Thursday at 15,637.59
The Canadian dollar dipped 0.08 cents to 77.6 cents U.S. early Friday
June futures were not available at press time.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange slid 0.74 points to end Thursday at 784.81
ON WALLSTREET
The NASDAQ composite was tipped to open sharply higher on Friday after Amazon posted stronger-than-expected earnings.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average slid 81 points, or 0.3%, to 24,235
S&P 500 futures settled 3.75 points, or 0.1%, to 2,670.75, while futures for the NASDAQ composite index added 21 points, or 0.3%, to 6,755.75, as Amazon shares rose more than 7% in the pre-market.
The tech-heavy index also got a boost from Microsoft, which jumped 3.8% before the bell on better-than-expected earnings.
Earnings season continues on Friday, with Chevron and Exxon Mobil among the companies set to report.
In data, advance estimates of the gross domestic product (GDP) figures will be released for the first quarter at 8:30 a.m. ET, along with the employment cost index. Consumer sentiment figures will come out at 10 a.m. ET.
Politics will remain at the forefront of investors' minds Friday, both domestically and internationally. Overseas, the leaders of South and North Korea met at the border between the two countries for historic face-to-face discussions.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 gained 0.7%, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index hiked 0.9%.
Oil prices skidded 23 cents to $67.96 U.S. per barrel.
Gold prices gained $2.50 to $1,320.40 U.S. an ounce.
