Feb 9 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index was set for a higher start on Thursday, tracking gains in oil prices following an unexpected fall in U.S. gasoline inventories.
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) said on Wednesday gasoline inventories fell by 869,000 barrels last week to 256.2 million barrels, versus analyst expectations for a 1.1 million-barrel gain.
March futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were up 0.3 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Canada's new housing price index data for December is due at 08:30 am ET. ECONCA
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended up on Wednesday after a slow start as an oil price rebound helped some energy stocks, and gold and base metal miners rose as political uncertainty boosted bullion and a likely squeeze on supply pushed copper prices higher. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.18 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were up 0.2 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.13 percent. .N
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TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Manulife Financial Corp MFC.TO , met its target to achieve earnings of C$4 billion in 2016, reporting results which beat market expectations, benefiting from a strong performance in Asia. Corp T.TO , one of Canada's three big telecom providers, reported a smaller-than-expected quarterly profit as operating expenses rose and it spent more to attract wireless customers. Reuters Corp TRI.N TRI.TO reported a higher quarterly net profit, reflecting a gain on the sale of a business, and said it expected revenue to grow this year at a low single-digit percentage rate. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Detour Gold Corp DGC.TO : Goldman Sachs (NYSE:GS) raises target price to C$24 from C$22
Northland Power Inc NPI.TO: CIBC raises price target to C$27 from C$25.75
TransCanada Corp TRP.TO : CIBC raises price target to C$68 from C$66
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1238.2; +0.05 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $52.72; +0.73 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $55.54; +0.76 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $5874.5; -0.35 percent MET/L
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
08:30 Initial jobless claims: Expected 250,000; Prior 246,000
08:30 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 248,000
08:30 Continued jobless claims: Expected 2.060 mln; Prior 2.064 mln
10:00 Wholesale Inventory(y), R mm for Dec: Expected 1.0 pct; Prior 1.0 pct
10:00 Wholesale sales mm for Dec: Expected 0.5 pct; Prior 0.4 pct
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