Futures for Canada's main stock index edged up on Thursday on fresh hopes of a resolution to the trade dispute between the United States and China.
The S&P/TSX Composite Index faded 25.43 points to end Wednesday at 15,208.33
The Canadian dollar dipped 0.1 cents at 74.85 cents U.S. early Thursday
March futures improved 0.2% Thursday.
Bombardier said on Thursday it will buy a wing manufacturing unit from aircraft parts supplier Triumph Group Inc to boost its business jets program.
Canadian Pacific Railway expects double-digit earnings growth in 2019, the country's second-biggest rail operator said on Wednesday, lifted by strong pricing and growing demand for shipments of crude and other commodities.
JP Morgan raised the price target on the carrier to $337.00 from $335.00
Hydro One and its U.S.-based rival Avista Corp agreed to terminate their merger after failing to receive regulatory backing.
National Bank of Canada cut the price target on Great-West Lifeco to $31.00 from $37.00
Canaccord Genuity cut the price target on Onex Corp. to $97.00 from $107.00
On the economic slate, Statistics Canada said those drawing regular employment insurance was virtually unchanged in November from a month earlier at 439,000, following three consecutive months of declines.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange handed back 0.38 points Wednesday to 592.70
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures fluctuated ahead of Thursday’s open, after U.S. markets posted strong gains in the previous session.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gathered 33 points, or 0.1%, to 24,584
Futures for the S&P 500 added 5.5 points, or 0.2%, to 2,643.75
NASDAQ futures picked up 36.75 points, or 0.6%, to 6,702
On Thursday, a slew of corporate earnings are expected to have an influence on the market agenda. Some of the major names set to report include Bristol-Myers Squibb, Union Pacific, American Airlines Group, Southwest Air, Intel, Starbucks, Alaska Air, Discover Financial and Western Digital.
Aside from fresh earnings, new economic data is due out too. First, jobless claims are scheduled to be released, followed by the U.S. composite purchasing managers’ index figures at 9:45 a.m. ET, and the Kansas City Fed survey at 11 a.m. ET.
One topic that is expected to be front and center on Thursday, however, is the ongoing government shutdown.
In the latest surrounding the topic, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Wednesday that Democrats would block President Donald Trump from delivering his State of the Union address until the government reopened — an announcement that Trump complied with.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 dipped 0.1% Thursday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index gained 0.4%
Oil prices dropped 33 cents to $52.29 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices fell $5.30 to $1,278.70 U.S. an ounce.
