North American markets appear set for a mixed start Tuesday ahead of U.S. first-quarter earnings season, which kicks off when Alcoa Inc. reports after the closing bell.

There are no major economic releases from Statistics Canada today.

The Canadian dollar opened at US87.16¢, up 0.41 of a cent.

In U.S economic news, weekly chain store sales and consumer-confidence data are due later this morning.

In today’s M&A news, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan has asked a U.S. buyout firm to explore a takeover of BCE, the Globe and Mail reported.

Dow Chemical Co. could tumble after the company said it was not in talks about a possible takeover. A British tabloid reported that a group of foreign investors and U.S. private equity firms were arranging financing for a takeover bid of about US$50 billion for the chemical and plastics maker.

Oil prices bounced back a little Tuesday as traders reacted to a slide the day before that pulled prices down nearly US$3 a barrel. Light sweet crude for May delivery rose 39¢ to US$61.90 by midday in Europe in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange.

Overseas, the Nikkei 225 closed 0.5% lower in Tokyo, while the FTSE 100 rose 0.3% in London.

On Monday, Toronto stocks moved ahead Monday, setting a new all-time high close, as strength in industrials and materials sectors offset a weak performance in the energy sector.

The S&P/TSX composite index moved up 57.31, or 0.43%, to 13,482.33.

Six of the 10 TSX main sub-groups ended higher.

The S&P TSX Venture composite index moved up 26.20, or 0.80%, to 3,283.63.

In New York, markets were mixed and little changed as investors responded to merger and acquisition news, but were kept in check by lingering concerns over the strength of the domestic economy.

The Dow Jones industrial average gained 8.94, or 0.07%, to 12,569.14, the Nasdaq composite index fell 2.16, or 0.09% to 2,469.18, the S&P 500 index rose 0.85, or 0.06%, to 1,444.61