Futures on March in Toronto

Stock futures for Canada's main index rose on Monday, lifted by fresh hopes that the United States and China will take necessary steps to resolve their trade dispute.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index lost 70.03 points, to end Friday and the week at 15,633.33

The Canadian dollar eased back 0.04 cents at 75.29 cents U.S. early Monday

March futures acquired 0.2% Monday.

Morgan Stanley said on Monday it would buy Canadian employee stock plans manager Solium Capital for $900 million.

J.P. Morgan raised the price target on BCE to $62.00 from $59.00

CIBC raised the price target on IGM Financial to $41.00 from $39.00

RBC raised the price target on Interfor to $21 from $20.

ON BAYSTREET

The TSX Venture Exchange fell 2.94 points Friday to 611.94

ON WALLSTREET

U.S. stock index futures were higher early Monday, as investors monitored trade talks and political developments.

Futures for the Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 76 points, or 0.3%, at 25,157.

Futures for the S&P 500 gained 8.5 points, or 0.3%, to 2,945.74

NASDAQ futures took on 29 points, or 0.4%, to 6,945.75

Traders will monitor further earnings reports. Restaurant Brands International, CNA Financial Corporation and Kemper are among those expected to report their latest quarterly figures before the opening bell.

Everest Re, FMC Corp., and Livent Corp. are among those scheduled to publish results after market close.

There are no major economic reports scheduled on Monday.

Negative sentiment has continued from Friday onto Monday, ahead of further trade meetings between the U.S. and the Chinese administrations later this week. Time is running out ahead of the self-imposed deadlines of March 2. Failure to reach an agreement will raise U.S. tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese to 25% from 10%.

Overseas, in Japan, markets were shuttered for holiday Monday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng gained 0.7%.

Oil prices forfeited 33 cents to $52.39 U.S. a barrel.

Gold prices lost $9.10 to $1,309.40 U.S. an ounce.