Stocks look set to open higher today as a few firms, such as Citrix Systems Inc. and LSI Logic Corp., reported strong earnings.

Traders are generally keying on these reports for signs of a rebound, although there have also been a slew of losses in the today’s results.

DuPont’s profit was down 75% in the third quarter. AMR sustained a US$414 million loss during the quarter. Honeywell International Inc. has recorded a loss, as did USA Networks Inc.

Sears, Roebuck & Co. says it is cutting 4,900 jobs, or 22% of its workforce. Kodak may cut up to 4,000 people.

In economic news, Canada’s Composite Index rose 0.1% in September after an upward revision resulted in a 0.1% gain in August. Household demand continued to offset weak business spending, although the effects of the September 11 attack have not yet registered in most data.

Also, it was reported that foreign investors increased their holdings of Canadian securities by $7.2 billion in August, as they bought Canadian bonds. Canadian investors resumed acquiring foreign securities in August, buying $1.4 billion in foreign stocks.

In Europe, stocks are mixed, as traders react to earnings there and in the United States. France’s CAC 40 is up 10 points to 4,466. The DAX has gained 82 points to 4,786. The FTSE is down eight points to 5,185.

Overnight in Asia, markets were mixed, too. The Hang Seng gained 24 points to 10,243. The Nikkei dropped 59 points to 10,802.

In domestic earnings news, NOVA Chemicals Corporation reported a loss before unusual items of $81 million, this compares to earnings before unusual items of $92 million during the third quarter of 2000. The third quarter of 2001 included an unusual gain of $16 million after-tax, primarily the result of a settlement with the Internal Revenue Service on foreign tax credits for prior years.

Shell Canada Ltd. announced third-quarter earnings of $172 million compared with earnings of $226 million for the third quarter of 2000.

BCE reported cash baseline earnings of $322 million in the third quarter, an 11% increase compared with the same quarter last year.

In other news, Canadian Pacific Railway announced a US$750 million debt offering. The net proceeds of this offering will be primarily used for repayment of indebtedness, and the balance for other general corporate purposes. Salomon Smith Barney Inc. is sole book-running manager on the offering. Credit Suisse First Boston Corporation and Banc of America Securities LLC are joint lead managers. Other managers are RBC Dominion Securities Corporation, Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown Inc., NBC International (USA) Ltd., and TD Securities (USA) Inc.

Also, Rider Resources Inc. and Esker Resources Ltd. have entered into an agreement that will see Rider make an offer to purchase all of the issued and outstanding common shares of Esker on the basis of 0.867 of a Rider share for each Esker share or 65¢ cash per share, subject to a maximum of $7.1 million.