Global Markets
Canadian Markets
Canadian stocks were slightly higher on Thursday, supported by strong gains in the energy and base metals sectors. A rise in oil prices provided a tailwind for energy companies, while a rebound in industrial commodities boosted miners. Notably, insider buying in Canadian oil and gas stocks has reached some of the highest levels in five years, according to BMO Capital Markets, suggesting growing confidence among executives in the sector’s valuation and outlook.
American Markets
U.S. stocks pulled back after early gains, as investors turned cautious ahead of the May non-farm payrolls report, due Friday. This data is seen as critical in shaping expectations for the Federal Reserve’s next move on interest rates. The U.S. dollar remained stable, reflecting investor unease about the broader economic picture.
Adding to concerns, weekly jobless claims climbed to their highest level since October 2024, indicating a cooling labor market and further fueling speculation that the economy may be slowing. This week’s string of soft economic data has heightened focus on whether the Fed may consider a rate cut later this year.
European Markets
European markets traded mostly higher on Thursday after the European Central Bank (ECB) cut interest rates by 0.25 percentage points, bringing the main rate down to 2%. This marks the eighth rate cut since June 2024, as inflation continues to retreat from multi-decade highs.
The euro remained steady following the announcement, with markets already pricing in the move. Analysts noted that ongoing trade tensions with the U.S. could put additional downward pressure on inflation, reinforcing the ECB’s accommodative stance. In a standout data point, Ireland’s GDP surged 9.7% quarter-over-quarter, driven by strong pharmaceutical exports to the U.S., which reportedly benefited from tariff exemptions.
UK stocks rose, buoyed by a rally in mining shares tied to rising commodity prices. However, long-term sentiment remains fragile. A new survey showed that confidence in the UK economy has fallen dramatically — from 45% in May 2015 to just 28% in 2025. This decline is attributed to a series of economic and political disruptions, including Brexit, the Covid-19 pandemic, a cost-of-living crisis, and ongoing geopolitical tensions.
Corporate Stock News
Amazon.com Inc
News: Highlighted its AI initiatives, including warehouse and humanoid robots, in a move to accelerate delivery and warehouse efficiency.
Apple Inc
News: Lost a bid in U.S. appeals court to delay enforcement of a ruling requiring the App Store to allow more competition, following an antitrust case brought by Epic Games.
Arthur J. Gallagher & Co
Analyst Action: KBW raised the target price to $326 from $315, citing confidence in management’s reiterated growth guidance.
BridgeBio Pharma Inc
Analyst Action: BMO raised target price to $42 from $37, expecting strong sales from its Attruby drug.
Citigroup Inc
News: Will lay off 3,500 employees in its China tech centers (Shanghai and Dalian) as part of global simplification efforts.
Dollar General Corp
Analyst Action: BofA raised target price to $135 from $115, citing strong Q1 results and improved outlook.
Ferguson Enterprises Inc
Analyst Action: Berenberg raised target price to $215 from $200 on strong Q3 results and increased EPS estimates.
Kimberly-Clark Corp
News: Nearing sale of its non-North American Kleenex and tissue businesses to Suzano for $3.5 billion.
Molson Coors Beverage Co
News: Will share 10% U.S. tariff costs with Fevertree Drinks under a joint strategy. Also announced a new CEO for Fevertree’s North American operations.
OR Royalties Inc
Analyst Action: BMO raised target price to C$33 from C$31, following acquisition of a silver stream on the South Railroad project.
Procter & Gamble Co
News: Announced it will cut 7,000 jobs (6%) over two years and exit certain brands/categories. Part of a broader restructuring plan to simplify operations and combat weak demand.
Starbucks Corp
News: Promoted Mike Grams to COO as part of a leadership overhaul under CEO Brian Niccol, who is steering the company back to its coffeehouse roots with operational changes.
Tesla Inc
News: Opposed NHTSA’s request to disclose crash data, arguing it would reveal confidential competitive information. The case involves a lawsuit by The Washington Post.
Texas Instruments Inc
Analyst Action: Bernstein upgraded rating to Market-Perform from Underperform and raised target price to $180 from $140, citing that bearish margin concerns have played out.
Versabank
Analyst Action: KBW cut target price to C$19 from C$21, citing weaker balance sheet and net interest margin outlook.
STA Research (StockTargetAdvisor.com) is a independent Investment Research company that specializes in stock forecasting and analysis with integrated AI, based on our platform stocktargetadvisor.com, EST 2007.
