TSX, New York markets hold steady

TORONTO - North American stock markets ended Thursday with little change, as traders awaited to see if the Bank of Japan will be spurred into action to help stimulate its lagging economy. The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index added a meek 6.18 points at 14,552.72, helped by gains from the metals and energy sectors. The Canadian dollar was up 0.17 of a U.S. cent to 75.98 cents US. It’s widely expected that the Bank of Japan will announce more stimulus for the world’s third-largest economy, with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe already announcing 28-trillion yen (US$266 billion) in extra government spending to jump-start growth. But what investors will be carefully watching for is how those stimulus measures will be implemented. In corporate news, Facebook shares rose 1.35 per cent to US$125 after the social networking company reported earnings that more than doubled from a year earlier, topping analysts’ views. Meanwhile, Ford Motor Co. saw its shares tumble after it reported that its profits fell nine per cent to US$2 billion in the second quarter as the automaker dealt with weak sales in the U.S. and China. Its shares were down US$1.13, to finish at $12.71.