August 18 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index futures pointed to a flat opening on Thursday, a day after minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's latest meeting showed policymakers were divided over whether to raise interest rates soon. minutes, released on Wednesday afternoon, helped the index pare losses to end barely lower on Wednesday.
September futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were down 0.02 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.04 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET. The S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were down 0.01 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were down 0.07 percent. .N
(Morning News Call newsletter http://link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s)
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Canadian oil producer Pacific Exploration & Production Corp PEGFQ.PK said on Wednesday that a majority of its creditors approved a restructuring plan, which will help it emerge from bankruptcy. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Bank of Montreal BMO.TO : Barclays (LON:BARC) raises target price to C$75 from C$70; "underweight"
NorthWest Healthcare NWH_u.TO : National Bank Financial ups target to C$11 from C$10.5
TransGlobe Energy Corp TGL.TO : Canaccord Genuity raises target to C$4 from C$3; "buy"
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1348.2; +0.41 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $46.93; +0.3 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $49.68; -0.34 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $4828; +1.13 percent MET/L
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 265,000; Prior 266,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 262,750
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 2.140 mln; Prior 2.155 mln
0830 Philly Fed Business Index for August: Expected 2.0; Prior -2.9
0830 Philly Fed 6M Index for August: Prior 33.70
0830 Philly Fed Capex Index for August: Prior 15.10
0830 Philly Fed Employment for August: Prior -1.60
0830 Philly Fed Prices Paid for August: Prior 9.90
0830 Philly Fed New Orders for August: Prior 11.80
1000 Leading index change mm for July: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.3 pct
FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:
TSX market report .TO
Canadian dollar and bonds report CAD/ CA/
Reuters global stocks poll for Canada EQUITYPOLL1 EPOLL/CA
Canadian markets directory CANADA ($1 = C$1.28)