Canadian stock futures on Monday tracked gains in oil prices, which rose on supply cuts from major oil producers, while optimism around U.S. fiscal stimulus bolstered sentiment.
The S&P/TSX Composite gained 93.93 points to close Friday and the week at 18,135.90. The index added nearly 800 points on the week, or 4.6%.
The Canadian dollar retreated 0.11 cents to 78.26 cents U.S.
March futures improved 0.5% Monday.
Canada Nickel has held talks with U.S. government officials about potentially supplying nickel for electric car batteries, its chief executive said, amid mounting concern in Washington about China’s dominance of global supply chains.
CIBC cut the target price on Endeavour Mining to $7.25 from $7.75
Citigroup raised the target price on Open Text to $50 from $46
Scotiabank raised the target price on Dye & Durham to $58.00 from $52.00
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange leaped 24.5 points, or 2.5%, Friday to 1,022.64. The index ballooned 100 points, or 10.9% on the week.
ON WALLSTREET
U.S. stock index futures rose early Monday, as the major averages looked to build upon gains following the best week since November amid optimism toward more COVID stimulus.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials hiked 126 points, or 0.4%, to 31,168.
Futures for the S&P 500 gained 13.25 points, or 0.3%, at 3,893.50.
Futures for the NASDAQ Composite jumped 47.25 points, or 0.4%, to 13,645.25.
Wall Street is coming off a solid week as the market shook off fears of a speculative trading frenzy. The S&P 500 closed at a record high on Friday and gained 4.2% last week. The Dow progressed 3.6% and the NASDAQ Composite rose 5.4%, in the prior week.
Meanwhile, another busy week of earnings is on deck with 78 S&P 500 components set to report quarterly results. Among the names on deck are Cisco, Twitter, Yelp, Uber, MGM, Mattel, GM, Coca-Cola and Disney.
On the coronavirus front, more contagious variants continue to spread throughout the U.S. On Friday Virginia health officials reported the state’s first case of the strain first identified in South Africa. On Sunday South Africa halted distribution of AstraZeneca’s vaccine given its minimal efficacy against the strain first identified in the country.
Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen urged Congress on Sunday to pass President Joe Biden’s stimulus plan, saying if it does the U.S. could return to full employment by 2022.
The Senate and House each passed a budget resolution on Friday, starting the reconciliation process that would allow Biden’s $1.9-trillion rescue package to get through the Democratic-held Senate with a simple majority. The package includes $1,400 stimulus cheques, supplemental jobless benefits and COVID-19 vaccine and testing funds.
Overseas, in Japan, the Nikkei 225 picked up 2.1%, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng index nicked up 0.1%.
Oil prices gathered 66 cents to $57.53 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices captured $13.00 to $1,826.00 U.S.