North American markets are opening to mixed global indicators today, as Asian markets make gains and Europe takes a dip.

The Japanese Nikkei index closed at 16,096.10, up 314.32 points or 1.99%. Hong Kong’s Hang Seng index closed at 15,812.53, up 176.81 points or 1.13%.

London’s FTSE 100 dropped to 5,850.60, a loss of 21.80 or 0.37%, while the DAX is down marginally, to 5,860.55, a loss of 1.51 points or 0.03%.

Crude oil prices are down, while more Canadian energy companies are reporting strong profits. The Canadian dollar has regained some of yesterday’s losses, reaching US87.11¢, up 0.06 of a cent.

Toronto stocks were down yesterday, as oil prices dropped and a rising consumer-price report sparked inflation worries. The S&P/TSX composite index rose 49.31, or 0.42%, to 11,777.13. Volume on the senior exchange was 298 million shares.

Statistics Canada reported that higher energy prices moved the inflation rate to 2.8% last month, up from 2.2% in December.

In New York, where lower oil prices and economic news suggested inflation was in check, the Dow Jones industrial average rose 68.11 points to 11,137 yesterday, its highest close since June 2001.

The Nasdaq Composite Index gained 20.21 points to 2,283.17, and the S&P 500 Index rose 9.63 points to 1,292.67.