Stocks are set to open higher today, with positive global indicators and the U.S. Dow Jones Industrial Average edging toward new highs.

Japan’s Nikkei index and the Chinese Hang Seng index made moderate gains.
Wall Street futures are up slightly, suggesting a moderate opening in the U.S., where traders were watching for this morning’s second-quarter GDP data. The report said the U.S. economic growth was slightly slower last spring than earlier believed, reflecting an adjustment to business inventory investment.

The Canadian dollar remained unchanged, opening at US89.98¢.

The Dow got close to record highs yesterday as a report showed healthy sales of new homes in August.

Toronto stocks closed higher yesterday, registering a triple-digit gain, as resurgent oil and gold prices fuelled a market rally.

The S&P/TSX composite index moved up 109.18, or 0.94%, to 11,751.58.

Eight of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up, with the energy sector surging 1.98%.

The November contract for light, sweet crude ran up $1.95 to close at US$62.96 a barrel.

EnCana Corp. gained $1.26, or 2.48%, to $52.16.

The materials sector lifted 1.86%, while the gold sub-sector shot up 3.84%.

The benchmark December gold contract moved up $6.20 at US$603.30 an ounce.

Barrick Gold Corp. rose a $1, or 2.98%, to $34.58.

The Canadian dollar closed up 0.20 of a cent to US89.98¢.

The S&P/TSX Venture Exchange index up 26.41, or 1.09%, to 2,455.30.

In New York, markets were up as investors reacted to some strong corporate reports.

The Dow industrials closed up 19.85 points at 11,689.24 and reached a high of 11,720.77 during intra-day trading, 2 points off its all-time high.

The Nasdaq Composite Index moved up 2.05 points at 2,263, while the S&P 500 Index ended essentially flat, up 0.25 point to 1,336.