North American stocks are poised to rise at the open Thursday, with traders optimistic after the U.S. Federal Reserve kept interest rates unchanged, and as third-quarter earnings season continues to run largely ahead of expectations.

Fed policy makers decided Wednesday to leave the federal-funds-rate target unchanged at 5.25%, as widely expected.

In today’s economic news, manufacturers are expecting tougher times ahead due mostly to widespread dissatisfaction with current levels of orders, Statistics Canada reported today.

As a result, manufacturers are anticipating decreasing production and employment in the coming three months, according to the agency’s October Business Conditions Survey.

The Canadian dollar opened at US88.93¢, up 0.1 of a cent.

South of the border, demand surged for U.S. durable goods, with orders rising 7.8% in September, driven by the transportation sector to the fastest pace in six years following two consecutive declines

Crude oil prices fell Thursday, a day after jumping more than US$2 a barrel in response to news of falling U.S. inventories.

Light sweet crude for December delivery was down 15¢ to US$61.25 a barrel in electronic trading on the New York Mercantile Exchange by early afternoon in Europe.

In earnings news, Sony said its profit plunged 94% for the July-September quarter as a global battery recall and red ink in its video-game business hurt the Japanese electronics and entertainment company.

Exxon Mobil reported earnings of US$10.49 billion, up 5.7% from a year earlier and its second largest profit ever, though revenue slipped back under US$100 billion.

Petro-Canada Inc. reported higher profits in the third quarter as the integrated oil producer and fuel retailer offset lower overall production with strong results at its gasoline refining and oilsands businesses.

Cott Corp. said it is closing two U.S. plants and cutting 350 jobs after swinging to a third-quarter profit of US$6.6 million.

Overnight, the benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 112.3 points, or 0.67%, to finish at 16,811.6 on the Tokyo Stock Exchange — its highest close since May 11.

In Hong Kong, the blue-chip gauge surged 195.8 points, or 1.1%, to 18,353.74, topping the old record closing high set March. 28, 2000.

Toronto stocks rallied Wednesday, setting yet another record for the index, as investors reacted favorably to higher resource prices and the Fed’s decision to leave interest rates unchanged.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 146.11 points, or 1.20%, to 12,341.65.

The S&P/TSX Venture composite indexlifted 35.08, or 1.42%, to 2,514.04.

In New York, investors were cautiously optimistic after taking in the Fed’s announcement.

The Dow Jones industrial index closed up 6.80 points at 12,134, hitting a record high of 12,148 during the session. The Nasdaq composite index moved up 11.75 points at 2,356.59 while the S&P 500 gained 4.84 points at 1,382.22.