Market numbers: Thursday, June 25, 2009

| North American markets | International markets | Bonds | Currency | Commodities |

The Toronto stock market could see some lift in early trading from higher oil prices while investors digest news of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s vote of confidence in the economy.

But otherwise, U.S. futures pointed to a weak opening ahead of economic news.

The Canadian dollar was down 0.72 of a cent to 86.05 cents US.

The TSX is coming off a 204-point surge from Wednesday.

The broad-based advance was the latest showing in a volatile week with investors trying to gauge the probability of a year-end recovery amid a variety of economic news, good and bad.

The week started off with a 454-point plunge in the wake of a World Bank report that global economic contraction this year would be worse than thought.

That news was tempered Wednesday by a better than expected durable goods report and data from the Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development said there should be weak growth next year instead of contraction.

The Fed also chimed in, saying "sustainable economic growth” should gradually resume, and inflation will "remain subdued for some time.” The statement did little to reassure investors, though, causing U.S. stocks to give up gains and finish mixed. Some were hoping the central bank would indicate how it will curb inflation.

On Thursday, the August crude contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange moved up 64 cents to US$69.31 a barrel amid mixed signals about crude demand from a weekly U.S. inventory report and a slight weakening of the U.S. dollar against the euro.

Crude prices have fallen from an eight-month high near US$73 earlier this month on investor doubts that demand in a weak U.S. economy may not justify the stock and commodity rally since March.

The Energy Department’s Energy Information Administration reported Wednesday that U.S. oil supplies dropped more than expected last week, falling 3.8 million barrels, or 1.1%.

The Dow futures rose four points, or 0.1%, to 8,260. Standard & Poor’s 500 index futures rose 3.10, or 0.4 %, to 901.10, and Nasdaq 100 index futures rose three, or 0.2%, to 1,450.25.

The U.S. Commerce Department is expected to report that first-quarter GDP shrank by 5.7%, unchanged from its previous estimate. The Labor Department is expected to report a slight drop in initial jobless claims.

Asian shares advanced in the wake of the Fed’s statement that it would keep interest rates low for a period of time.

Japan’s Nikkei 225 stock average rose 205.76 points, or 2.2%, to 9,796.08.

Hong Kong’s Hang Seng jumped 382.88, or 2.1%, to 18,275.03.

London’s FTSE 100 index slipped 0.7%, Frankfurt’s DAX lost 1.3 per cent and the Paris CAC 40 declined 1.45%.

In corporate news, Teck Resources Ltd. (TSX:TCK.B) says a technical problem at a mine in Kamloops, B.C. is forcing the company to trim copper production for the next year and a half.

The Vancouver-based mining giant is cutting production by 35 million pounds in the second half of this year and by 115 million pounds next year due to the issues at the Highland Valley mine.

(The Canadian Press)

North American markets

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	Close	Change	YTD
Dow Jones	8,299.86	-23.05 or -0.28%	-5.43%
S&P 500	900.94	+5.84 or +0.65%	-0.26%
NASDAQ	1,792.34	+27.42 or +1.55%	+13.65%
TSX Composite	10,100.93	+204.21 or +2.06%	+12.39%

International markets

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	Open	Change	YTD
Nikkei	9,796.08	+205.76 or +2.15%	+10.57%
Hang Seng	18,275.03	+382.88 or +2.14%	+27.02%
SENSEX	14,345.62	-77.11 or -0.53%	+48.70%
FTSE 100	4,255.91	-24.07 or -0.56%	-4.02%
CAC 40	3,147.58	-37.18 or -1.17%	-2.19%
DAX	4,783.96	-52.05 or -1.08%	-0.55%

Bonds

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Bonds	$Current	$Previous	%Yield
Cdn. 10-year bond	102.51	102.73	3.45
Cdn. 30-year bond	118.59	119.04	3.90
U.S. 10-year bond	95.31	95.72	3.69
U.S. 30-year bond	96.97	97.89	4.43

Currency

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BoC Open	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.8605	0.8677
US $	1.1621	1.1525

Euro Spot Rate	Today	Previous
Canadian $	0.6174	0.6224
Euro	1.6197	1.6066

Commodities

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Gold	AM	PM
London Gold Fix ($US)	$934.25	$933.50

Oil	Open	Change
WTI Crude Future (US)	$69.43	+$0.76 or +1.11%

(06/25/09)