Futures tied to Canada’s main stock index rose on Thursday, indicating a rebound after the benchmark index fell over 1% in the previous session, as a global rally driven by hopes of interest rate cuts next year appeared to have stalled.
The TSX Composite fell 238.82 points, or 1.2%, to close Wednesday at 20,600.81.
March futures jumped 0.4% early Thursday.
The Canadian dollar edged higher 0.04 cents to 74.90 cents U.S.
Among individual stocks to look out for, BlackBerry reported a surprise third quarter profit, but its fourth quarter revenue forecast fell short of analyst estimates.
On the economic calendar, retail sales increased 0.7% to $66.9 billion in October. Sales were up in seven of nine subsectors and were led by increases at motor vehicle and parts dealers.
As well, the number of employees receiving pay and benefits from their employer decreased by 44,600 (-0.2%) in October, offsetting an increase of 36,200 (+0.2%) in September and following little variation in July and August.
The new housing price index faded 0.2% in November, month over month, compared to a breakeven figure last year. On a year-over-year basis, the figure fell 0.9%, compared to a decline of 0.8% last year.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange gained 4.3 points Wednesday to 538.82.
ON WALLSTREET
Stock futures climbed Thursday morning after the recent market rally took a breather.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials leaped 158 points, or 0.4%, to 37,603.
Futures for the S&P 500 hiked 25.5 points, or 0.5%, at 4,775.25.
Futures for the NASDAQ popped 115.75 points, or 0.7%, to 16,881.50.
The Dow slipped 1.3% and NASDAQ fell about 1.5%, to notch their worst sessions since October. Wednesday’s session also snapped nine-day winning streaks for both.
Micron jumped more than 4% in post-market action after beating Wall Street expectations for the first three months of its new fiscal year. The company also offered current-quarter guidance that exceeded analysts’ consensus forecasts. Salesforce gained 2% following an upgrade from Morgan Stanley.
Investors will watch Thursday for data on jobless claims and the third-quarter gross domestic product before Friday’s reading of the personal consumption expenditures price index, which is a closely followed gauge of inflation. Traders will also monitor Nike earnings expected Thursday after the bell.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 ducked 1.6% Thursday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng Index eked up 7.32 points.
Oil prices slid $1.47 to $72.75 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices inched up 50 cents to $2,048.20 U.S. an ounce.