North American stocks were mixed early Thursday, ahead of the Easter holiday weekend.

Statistics Canada reported that the economy created 55,000 new jobs in March as the unemployment rate remained unchanged at a 30-year low of 6.1%.

The Canadian dollar opened at 86.33 cents US, up 0.06 of a cent.

South of the border, more signs about the state of the U.S. economy will be revealed when the Labour Department releases weekly jobless claims this morning. Wall Street futures suggested a weak start for regular trading as investors were expected to shore up positions before a three-day weekend.

Financial markets will be closed Friday for the Good Friday holiday.

In business news, Alliance Atlantis Communications Inc. and CanWest Global Communications Corp. say their $2.3-billion takeover deal remains on track despite a veto bid by Movie Distribution Income Fund. The fund said Wednesday evening it is going to court to seek a veto over the proposed takeover of Alliance Atlantis by CanWest Global and New York investment bank Goldman Sachs.

Crude-oil prices are expected to influence trading on Thursday now that Iran has freed 15 British sailors and marines, easing Middle East tensions. As such, the focus will likely be on smaller-than-expected gasoline stock draws in the U.S.

In pre-market electronic trading, a barrel of light sweet crude fell US10¢ to US$64.28 on the New York Mercantile Exchange. Key European indices were mixed in early action.

Overseas, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index shed 52.67 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 17,491.42 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange. The previous two sessions, the index jumped 3%.

Toronto stocks surged ahead Wednesday, posting a new record high, as the resource sectors and the information technology group led the key index to the third-straight positive session of the week.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 87.08 points, or 0.65%, to 13,448.31, surpassing the 13,404.46 mark set Feb. 26.

Eight of the 10 TSX main sub-groups were up.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index gained 26.50 points, or 0.82%, to 3.240.97.

In New York, markets moved modestly higher on easing in the price of crude. But bulls were kept in check by negative economic news.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 19.75, or 0.16%, to 12,530.05, the Nasdaq composite index moved up 8.36, or 0.34%, to 2,458.69, and the S&P500 edged ahead 1.60, or 0.11%, to 1,439.37.