Jul 18, 2025 (Baystreet.ca via COMTEX) --
Futures linked to Toronto's main stock index edged higher on Friday, with investor sentiment buoyed by domestic trade updates and U.S. data signaling economic resilience.
The TSX Composite Index popped 233.96 points to conclude Thursday at 27,386.93.
September futures were ahead 0.2% Friday.
The Canadian dollar was stationery at 72.88 cents U.S.
International Trade Minister Maninder Sidhu pointed to interest in advancing trade talks with the South American bloc Mercosur, comprising
Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, and Uruguay, as Ottawa seeks to diversify its trade relations beyond the U.S.
Prime Minister Mark Carney and his team are in talks with U.S. President Donald Trump to reach a trade agreement before the August 1 deadline, when 35% tariffs are set to take effect.
In other trade-related news, Canada and New Zealand reached a "mutually satisfactory" resolution to a long-term dispute over dairy product access, which will allow for better access to the Canadian market, Ottawa said on Thursday.
Trump has previously criticized high Canadian tariffs on dairy products.
Earlier this week, Carney introduced a steel tariff rate quota in a bid to protect the domestic steel industry. China's Commerce Ministry urged Ottawa on Friday to drop the restrictions while threatening countermeasures.
ON BAYSTREET
The TSX Venture Exchange recovered 4.85 points Thursday to 791.66.
ON WALLSTREET
Stock futures moved higher on Friday, a day after the S&P 500 posted a record close, as traders digested more earnings. The major U.S. stock benchmarks were also on track to post weekly gains.
Futures for the Dow Jones Industrials gained 43 points, or 0.1%, to 44,761
Futures for the much broader index poked up four points, or 0.1%, to 6,344.50.
Futures for the NASDAQ gained 19.75 points, or 0.1%, to 23,270.75.
3M shares rose more than 2% on the back of a second-quarter earnings beat. Netflix fell more than 1% in extended trading following its latest quarterly results. The company posted an earnings and revenue beat for the second quarter and raised its full-year revenue forecast.
The moves come after Wall Street saw a winning day. The S&P 500 finished 0.5% higher, closing at a new record after hitting an all-time high during the session. The NASDAQ Composite gained about 0.7%, also reaching fresh intraday and closing records. The Dow climbed 0.5%.
Wall Street is on pace for a positive week, bolstered by optimism surrounding the latest earnings results. On Thursday, PepsiCo and United Airlines shares both popped after the respective companies beat analyst estimates on earnings. Those follow solid results from big banks like JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs earlier in the week.
The S&P 500 is up 0.6% for the week through Thursday's close and the 30-stock Dow on track for a 0.3% advance. The NASDAQ is the outperformer, heading for a 1.5% gain.
In Japan, the Nikkei 225 index inched higher 0.2% Friday, while in Hong Kong, the Hang Seng popped 1.3%
Oil prices took on 83 cents to $68.37 U.S. a barrel.
Gold prices brightened $15.50 to $3,360.80 U.S. an ounce.
COMTEX_467422914/2559/2025-07-18T08:27:37
