Aug 11 (Reuters) - Futures pointed to a slightly higher start for Canada's main stock index on Thursday ahead of the release of weekly data on U.S. jobless claims.
The number of Americans applying for unemployment benefits is expected to have slipped by 4,000 to 265,000 last week, continuing a trend of being below the 300,000 mark for the 75th consecutive week. The data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET.
September futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were up 0.16 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Canadian housing price data for June is also due at 8:30 a.m. ET ECONCA
Canada's main stock index on Wednesday broke a five-day winning streak that had lifted it to a 13-month high, with heavyweight energy and financial stocks leading a broad pullback as oil prices fell. Jones industrial average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.32 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were up 0.26 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.31 percent. .N
(Morning News Call newsletter http://link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s)
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
U.S. prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE:VRX) VRX.TO over whether it hid from insurers its relationship with a specialty pharmacy that helped boost its drug sales, the Wall Street Journal reported on Wednesday. insurer Sun Life Financial Inc SLF.TO reported on Wednesday a bigger-than-expected drop in underlying profit for the second quarter. Steel Canada rejected on Wednesday a buyout offer from Ontario Steel Investments, a group that includes shareholders of Essar Global, saying it was not considering further proposals by Essar, which had been eliminated from the sale process. AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1,342.40; -0.14 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $41.69; -0.05 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $44.18; +0.3 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $4,830; +0.19 percent MET/L
ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Alamos Gold Inc AGI.TO : Canaccord Genuity cuts price target to C$12.50 from C$14
KP Tissue Inc KPT.TO : Desjardins raises to "buy" from "hold"
Aston Hill Financial AHF.TO : Canaccord Genuity cuts to "speculative buy" from "buy"
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Import prices mm for Jul: Expected -0.3 pct; Prior 0.2 pct
0830 Export prices mm for Jul: Expected 0.0 pct; Prior 0.8 pct
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 265,000; Prior 269,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 260,250
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 2.140 mln; Prior 2.138 mln
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