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Reuters Canada Business Summary

25/07/08

Loblaw profit drops minus lift from lower charges

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Loblaw Companies Ltd , Canada's biggest supermarket chain, reported an 18 percent rise in second-quarter profit on Friday on smaller restructuring charges, but said that earnings fell after one-time items were stripped out. Profit increased to C$140 million ($138.6 million), or 51 Canadian cents a share, in the period ended June 14, from earnings of C$119 million, or 43 Canadian cents a share, in the same period last year.

Toronto stock index set to open higher, data eyed

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Toronto Stock Exchange's main index is expected to open higher on Friday, as investors scoop up shares after Thursday's big slide, but cautiousness over the outlook for the U.S. economy may weigh. The benchmark slipped more than 2 percent on Thursday, triggered by losses in financials as investors seized on data highlighting concerns over a slumping U.S. economy.

Air Canada and Continental ink code-sharing pact

TORONTO (Reuters) - Air Canada aims to expand its reach to new destinations through a partnership with Continental Airlines that will put the carriers' passengers on each other's planes while maintaining their frequent flier benefits, it said on Thursday. The proposed code-sharing deal would offer Air Canada passengers more options for connecting flights while keeping its own operating and marketing costs down against a backdrop of soaring fuel prices, the country's biggest airline said.

Oil prices seen masking Canada "export recession"

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Oil prices will continue falling and dip below $100 a barrel by the end of this year, unmasking an "export recession" in Canada that will result in anemic growth, a government export agency said on Thursday. Export Development Canada forecast export growth this year of 4.2 percent in terms of value. But that is an artificially pretty picture based entirely on the dramatic surge in oil prices, EDC said in its quarterly Global Export Forecast.

Rio Tinto says eyeing 10% of world potash market

SYDNEY (Reuters) - Rio Tinto Ltd/Plc wants to grab 10 percent of the world potash market as demand for the fertilizer grows in step with biofuel production, Preston Chiaro, chief executive of Rio's energy and minerals unit said on Friday. The push into a new commodity comes as Rio's board fights a $140 billion all-share takeover by rival BHP Billiton Ltd/Plc , which it sees as too cheap and failing to appreciate Rio's growth plans.

Norbord posts bigger second-quarter loss

TORONTO (Reuters) - Norbord Inc reported a bigger second-quarter loss on Friday as a collapse in the U.S housing market continued to drain demand for its wood panels. The company, which has 15 factories in the United States, Europe and Canada, said it lost $37 million, or 25 cents per share, in the period ended June. That compares with a loss of $15 million, or 11 cents per share, in the year-ago period.

Ford posts $8.7 billion second-quarter loss on truck slump

DETROIT (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co posted a record $8.7 billion quarterly loss on Thursday as it wrote down the value of slumping truck and SUV operations and revamped plans in a bid to break its reliance on the gas-guzzlers that have been its franchise vehicles for a decade. The second-quarter loss was deeper than analysts had forecast and Ford shares fell by 15 percent. Its bonds also traded lower.

Harbinger seeks to combine Inmarsat with SkyTerra

LONDON (Reuters) - U.S. hedge fund Harbinger plans to bid for British satellite communication firm Inmarsat , pending regulatory approval, and combine the group with its SkyTerra business, it said on Friday. Harbinger, which already owns 28 percent of Inmarsat and, together with an affiliate, 48 percent of satellite communications group SkyTerra, said it was likely to take 12-18 months to obtain regulatory approvals.

Canada dollar recedes, headed for weekly loss

TORONTO (Reuters) - The Canadian dollar eased against the U.S. dollar on Friday given lingering effects of lower equity markets, and with no key data to offer hope of a rebound, it was headed for a weekly loss of about 1 percent. Domestic bond prices, with no Canadian data to trigger any sort of move, were flat to slightly higher as dealers tried to play catch-up with the bigger U.S. Treasury market.

Canadian bank profits vulnerable, analyst says

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (Reuters) - While it may be tempting to argue that the worst is over for Canadian bank stocks, several factors could still put pressure on earnings growth at the banks, an analyst said on Thursday. "We maintain our cautious view on Canadian bank stocks," RBC Capital Markets analyst Andre-Philippe Hardy said in a research note.

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