North American stocks could nudge higher at the open Friday as traders digest the release of U.S. monthly nonfarm payrolls data, looking for economic clues as to whether the Federal Reserve will pause its rate-hike campaign.

The U.S. Labor Department said today that U.S. employers added just 75,000 jobs to nonfarm payrolls in May, much less than the expected 180,000-job increase. Meanwhile, the U.S. unemployment rate fell to 4.6%, the lowest level since the 2001. Average hourly earnings rose 0.1%.

Here at home, Statistics Canada said the share of foreign control in the Canadian economy remained stable in 2004, despite strong growth in both assets and revenues of foreign-controlled corporations.

The Canadian dollar opened at US90.6¢, down 0.07 of a cent.

In M&A news, the NYSE Group and the Euronext late Thursday agreed terms on a merger, with the operator of stock exchanges in Paris, Amsterdam, Brussels and Lisbon getting a stock-and-cash bid valued at nearly US$10 billion.

Cogeco Cable Inc. said it will pay 464.9 million euros – about $657 million – for the second-largest cable operator in Portugal.

Highpine Oil & Gas Ltd. plans to acquire junior oil and gas firm Kick Energy Corp. in all-share deal. Under the terms of the agreement, Kick shareholders will receive 0.32 of a class A common share of Highpine for each Kick share.

In earnings news, drug manufacturer Patheon Inc. today reported lower second quarter profits but higher revenues Friday and said it plans an efficiency drive to cut costs and improve the company’s bottom line.

Goldman Sachs Group may split its lead role into two when the bank meets Friday to decide on a replacement to Henry Paulson, who’s left to become U.S. Treasury Secretary.

European stock markets rose for the third straight session, led by technology stocks. The U.K. FTSE 100 index was 0.4% higher, the German DAX Xetra 30 index was up 0.8%, and the French CAC-40 index increased 0.9%.

Asian markets closed mixed.

The benchmark Nikkei 225 index rose 285.57 points, or 1.84 per cent, to finish at 15,789.31 points on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.

In Hong Kong, the blue-chip Hang Seng Index rose 267.44 points, or 1.71 per cent, to 15,912.71.

Toronto stocks finished higher Thursday, despite a continued drop in the price of gold and oil, as investors bought back into the market after significant May losses.

The S&P/TSX composite index gained 102.45, or 0.87%, to 11,846.97. The market shed more than 4% of its value last month.

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

The S&P/TSX Venture composite index lost 7.42 points, or 0.26%, to 2,827.68.

In New York, markets rose on economic news that indicated consumer confidence remained high.

The Dow Jones industrial average jumped 91.97 points, or 0.8%, to close at 11,260.28 Twenty-seven of 30 Dow components were up on the session.

The Nasdaq composite index rose 40.99 points, or 1.9%, to 2,219.86. The S&P 500 added 15.62 points, or 1.2%, to 1,285.71.