Canada's main stock index futures were little changed on Thursday, as gold prices steadied ahead of the European Central Bank's meeting on easing monetary policy.
The S&P/TSX Composite forged ahead 39.16 points to conclude business on Wednesday at 16,611.84
The Canadian dollar nicked 0.02 cents higher to 76.13 cents U.S. early Thursday
September futures dipped 0.03% Thursday.
Teck Resources reported a quarterly profit slightly below analyst estimates, hurt by lower copper and zinc prices.
Cenovus Energy missed quarterly profit estimates as the production cuts ordered by Alberta's provincial government in Canada hit output and higher Canadian crude prices hurt refining margins.
Suncor Energy, Canada's second-largest oil and gas producer, on Wednesday reported a 5% rise in second-quarter operating profit and higher upstream production.
The U.K. Competition and Markets Authority said it had found provisionally that sellers of antibiotic Nitrofurantoin broke competition law by "arranging to carve up the market between them".
The watchdog said from 2014 to at least October 2017, two suppliers, Advanz Pharma and Morningside, and a wholesaler, Alliance Healthcare, entered into arrangements under which Alliance would buy equal volumes of the drug from each of the suppliers so that they would not compete.
Canaccord Genuity cut the price target on Celestica to $7.00 from $8.00
CIBC raised the price target on Loblaw Companies to $77.00 from $76.00
Credit Suisse cut the price target on Lundin Mining to $8.25 from $9.00
On the economic front, Statistics Canada reported average weekly earnings of non-farm payroll employees were $1,031 in May, up 1.1% from April.
The agency added earnings were up 3.4%, compared with 12 months earlier.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange regained 2.67 points Wednesday to 591.63
ON WALLSTREET
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures pointed to a higher open on Thursday as investors digested the latest batch of corporate earnings results while the European Central Bank signaled a rate cut could be on the horizon.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials heightened 81 points, or 0.3%, to 27,318.
Futures for the S&P 500 tacked on 2.75 points, or 0.1%, at 3,024.25
NASDAQ futures slid 12.5 points, or 0.2%, to 8,025.50
Shares of 3M jumped 4.7% after the company reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for the previous quarter. CEO Mike Roman said the company cost-management efforts and improved cash flow contributed to the strong quarter.
Facebook gained 2.2% in the premarket after its second-quarter earnings and revenue beat analyst expectations. The social media giant’s average revenue per user, a key metric for the company — came in at $7.05, well above estimates of $6.87.
Comcast advanced 0.3% after its earnings topped estimates. Comcast said it added 209,000 internet customers last quarter, slightly more than expected.
About a third of S&P 500 companies have reported second-quarter earnings so far. Of those companies, 75% have posted a better-than-forecast profit.
Alphabet, Amazon, Intel, Starbucks and Mattel are all scheduled to report after the close Thursday.
Meanwhile, the European Central Bank kept interest rates unchanged by hinted that further monetary easing as well as a rate cut.
In terms of data, last week’s jobless claims figures are due this morning, along with June’s durable goods orders and advance economic indicators. Second-quarter housing vacancies data are due later on, likewise July’s Kansas City Fed survey.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 index gained 0.2% Thursday, while in the Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index increased 0.3%,
Oil prices gained 80 cents to $56.89 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices acquired $9.20 to $1,432.80 U.S. an ounce.
