North American markets look to open mixed Friday as prices continue to slide and tech bellwether Dell issued a soft sales forecast.

Dell reported late Thursday its fiscal third-quarter profit tumbled 28% on charges, but the personal-computer maker stuck to its optimistic long-range growth forecasts despite a tepid outlook for the rest of the year. Dell said it expects its sales to increase only 9% to 11% in the fourth quarter, compared with an average 15% growth rate during the previous four quarters.

Light, sweet crude for December delivery on the New York Mercantile Exchange fell 71¢ to US$57.09 a barrel in early trading in response to rising supply and falling demand.

There are no major economic releases from Canada or the U.S. today.

Currency trading, banks and bond trading will be taking the day off for Remembrance Day in Canada and Veteran’s Day in the United States.

In today’s earnings news, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. reported a drop in third-quarter profit to $12.2 million from a year-ago $18.9 million on the impact of foreign exchange and income taxes, but posted improved revenue.

Toronto stocks closed lower Thursday, as falling oil prices led to a sell-off in the energy sector that sank a drop in the broader market despite the release positive economic news.

The S&P/TSX composite index finished down 91.28 points, or 0.86%, to 10,565.26.

Volatile stock Research in Motion was up $4.63, or 7.56%, to $65.85 as investors were hopeful the company would resolve a patent dispute that threatens to prevent it from selling its Blackberry handheld devices into the U.S.

Drugstore operator Jean Coutu Group Inc. announced its founder, Jean Coutu, would be replacing his son, Francois Coutu, as chief executive to deal with the integration of recent U.S. acquisitions. Shares in the firm dropped $1.31, or 9.45%, to $12.55.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index finished down 22.67 points, or 1.11%, to 2,015.60.

In the U.S., falling oil prices and the federal government’s largest selloff of Treasury bonds, which fuelled hopes that the Federal Reserve might come off its policy of hiking rates, offset reports that the U.S. governments trade imbalance had hit a monthly record of $66.1 billion in September.

The Dow Jones industrial average rose 93.89, or 0.89%, to 10,640.10, the S&P500 index rose 10.31, or 0.84%, to 1,230.96, and the Nasdaq composite index rose 20.87, or 0.96%, to 2,196.68.