Futures linked to Canada’s primary stock index held steady on Friday, although the benchmark was on track for its biggest weekly fall in nearly six months.
The TSX Composite Index fell 286.78 points, or 1.2%. to conclude Thursday at 24,584.04
Futures were down 1% Friday.
The Canadian dollar subsided 0.12 cents to 69.85 cents U.S. early Friday.
Throughout the week, investors navigated a roller coaster of trade uncertainties. On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump’s 25% tariffs on imports from Canada and Mexico took effect.
But, in the latest twist on Thursday, Trump announced an exemption for goods from both nations under a North American trade pact, lasting a month.
In corporate news, Circle-K owner Alimentation Couche-Tard said on Friday that its top executives will visit Tokyo to speak with media about its $47-billion bid to buy 7-Eleven convenience store operator Seven & I Holdings.
On the economic beat, Statistics Canada reported the economy created only 1,100 jobs in February. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 6.6%.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange dipped 2.51 points to end Thursday at 605.24
ON WALLSTREET
Stock futures were higher Friday as traders sought to look past U.S. trade policy worries that have rattled the market this week. They also awaited a big payrolls report.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials moved downward 27 points, or 0.1%, to 42,595.
Futures for the S&P 500 index were unchanged at 5,746.25
Futures for the tech-heavy NASDAQ poked ahead 4.75 points, or 0.1%, to 20,094.
This latest market rout put the three major averages on course for their worst week since September 2024. The S&P 500 is off 3.6% week to date, while the 30-stock Dow is down 2.9%. The NASDAQ is the underperformer of the period, down 4.1% so far this week.
Stocks have been on a roller-coaster ride as Trump’s tariff policies have worried investors over future U.S. growth. While Trump said on Thursday that a swath of goods from Canada and Mexico that are covered by the North American trade agreement known as USMCA would be exempt from the announced duties until April 2, that wasn’t enough to spur a recovery rally similar to the one seen on Wednesday.
Today is the day for the U.S. economy to release employment numbers. Economists polled by Dow Jones forecast jobs growth of 170,000 jobs for and expect the unemployment rate held steady at 4%.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 sank 2.2%, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng dipped 0.6%.
Oil prices grabbed 85 cents to $67.21 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices slid 10 cents to $2,926.50 U.S. an ounce.
