North American stocks are likely open mixed Friday following the release of February employment data and a positive report on the U.S. trade gap.

Early Friday, Statistics Canada said Canada’s unemployment rate slipped to 6.1% last month as 14,200 new jobs were added to the country’s payrolls.

Separately, StatsCan said Canadian companies exported a record high $40.8 billion worth of merchandise goods in January while imports slowed, pushing our trade surplus with the world to its highest level in more than a year.

South of the border, U.S. the Labor Department said February nonfarm payrolls increased 97,000 after growing an upwardly revised 146,000 in January and 226,000 in December. Last month’s gain was the slowest since January 2005. The February unemployment rate fell to 4.5%. The February payroll gain was in line with Wall Street expectations of a 100,000 rise. Economists had expected a 4.6% unemployment rate.

Meanwhile, the U.S. Commerce Department said the January U.S. trade deficit narrowed by 3.8% to US$59.12 billion. Economists called for a January trade gap of US$59.5 billion.


In earnings, news, Volkswagen posted a sharp rise in fourth-quarter profit on stronger sales, and the auto maker said it expects 2008 pretax profit to be at least 5.1 billion euros (US$6.7 billion) — a slight increase from its previous guidance.


Crude-oil prices climbed 6¢ to US$61.70 a barrel.

Overseas, the Nikkei 225 closed 0.4% higher in Tokyo, while the FTSE 100 dropped 0.4% in London.

Toronto stocks moved higher Thursday, the third straight session of positive gains, largely on the strength of the energy index and financials.

The S&P/TSX composite index moved up 61.36, or 0.47%, to 13,050.97

Seven of the 10 TSX main groups closed higher.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index gained 24.30, or 0.78%, to 3,134.19.

In New York, markets moved higher as investors were cheered by gains on world markets following last week’s selloff.

The Dow Jones Industrial average gained 68.25 points at 12,260.70, the S&P 500 rose 9.92 points to 1,401.89 and the Nasdaq Composite moved up 13.09 points at 2,387.73.