North American stocks may rise at the open Friday as oil prices slip and Canada’s employment report showed the economy generated 89,000 more jobs in January.

An increase in the number of people seeking work pushed the unemployment rate up to 6.2%, from 6.1% in December, Statistics Canada said.

The Canadian dollar opened at US84.47¢, down 0.09 of a cent.

In earnings news, Air Canada reported a narrower operating loss in the fourth quarter, as the airline enjoyed stronger passenger revenues.

Toy maker Hasbro said its fourth-quarter profit jumped 15% amid strong sales of its core products.

Computer maker Gateway reported a 9% revenue decline.

In M&A news, the UK’s biggest bus company, FirstGroup , announced it had agreed to buy Laidlaw International , the U.S. company that runs Greyhound buses, for US$2.8 billion plus debt.

Crude-oil futures, after topping the US$60 a barrel level in the last session, fell 22¢ to US$59.49 a barrel.

Overseas, the FTSE 100 hit a new six-year high, climbing 0.6% in London.

In Tokyo, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index jumped 211.85 points, or 1.23%, to finish at 17,504.33 points.

In Hong Kong, the blue-chip Hang Seng Index fell 57.39 points, or 0.3%, to 20,677.66 after tumbling 141.29 points earlier in the session.

On Thursday, the Toronto stock market set a new record on high, as a rebound in materials and energy issues offset disappointing results from Loblaw.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 42.05 points, or 0.3%, to 13,184.3.

Overall, seven of the 10 TSX main groups were higher, led by a 0.9% rise in the resource-laden materials sector, which got a boost from a rally in gold prices.

Shares of Loblaw dropped $2.29, or 4.5 %, to $48.95 after the grocery chain warning it will take a fourth-quarter hit of up to $900 million related to its Provigo stores in Quebec.

Shares of parent company George Weston declined $3.10 to $74.95.

The junior S&P/TSX Venture composite index was off 8.72 points to 2,976.69.

On Wall Street, warning signs from the housing sector, courtesy of HSBC Holdings and Toll Brothers, weighed on stocks Thursday.

The Dow Jones industrials declined 29.24 points, or 0.23%, to 12,637.63.

The Nasdaq composite index dipped 1.83 points, or 0.07%, to 2,488.67 and the S&P 500 index lost 1.71, 0.12%, to 1,448.31.