Market watchers hope news of massive government financial aid is finally soothing investors' nerves.

North American stocks rose in early trading.

Some market observers see signs the loonie's fortunes will change this year even as the Canadian dollar continued its slide Monday.

Stocks sank again Friday, with the Dow Jones industrials briefly falling 500 points, as the market heads for its worst week since the 2008 financial crisis.

Indices in New York smashed through new records at the close, while Canada's main stock market pushed solidly ahead, as sentiment continued to build on rising oil prices and a rosy global outlook.