March 1 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Wednesday ahead of the Bank of Canada's interest rate decision.
The central bank is widely expected to hold interest rates at 0.50 percent when it announces its decision at 10:00 a.m. ET.
March futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were up 0.62 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Current account data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET ECONCA
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index settled down 0.42 percent on Tuesday, as Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO led losses in the heavyweight financial banking sector after reporting quarterly earnings in line with expectations. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.43 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were up 0.51 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.5 percent. .N
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TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
National Bank of Canada NA.TO said its first-quarter profit surged 90.4 percent from a year ago, when it took a write-off charge of C$236 million. Corp TRP.TO has suspended a $15 billion NAFTA suit filed against the United States over the Keystone XL pipeline, the company said on Tuesday, after U.S. President Donald Trump approved the project last month. Corp TSb.TO , the owner of one of Canada's largest circulation daily newspapers, reported a fourth-quarter profit, compared with a loss a year earlier, when the company recorded a one-time charge of C$213.3 million. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Bank of Montreal BMO.TO : Desjardins ups target price to C$104 from C$99; rating "hold"
Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO : Barclays (LON:BARC) raises target price to C$78 from C$73
Capreit CAR_u.TO : National Bank raises target price to C$35 from C$34
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1242.6; -0.8 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $54.13; +0.22 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $56.67; +0.28 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $6034.5; +1.03 percent MET/L
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON WEDNESDAY
0830 Personal consumption real mm for Jan: Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Personal Income mm for Jan: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Consumption, adjusted mm for Jan: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.5 pct
0830 Core PCE price index mm for Jan: Expected 0.2 pct; Prior 0.1 pct
0830 Core PCE price index yy for Jan: Prior 1.7 pct
0830 PCE price index mm for Jan: Prior 0.2 pct
0830 PCE price index yy for Jan: Prior 1.6 pct
0900 Dallas fed PCE for Jan: Prior 1.8 pct
0945 Markit Manufacturing PMI Final for Feb: Prior 54.3
1000 Construction spending mm for Jan: Expected 0.6 pct; Prior -0.2 pct
1000 ISM Manufacturing PMI for Feb: Expected 56.0; Prior 56.0
1000 ISM Manufacturing Prices Paid for Feb: Expected 68.0; Prior 69.0
1000 ISM Manufacturing Employment Index for Feb: Expected 55.9; Prior 56.1
1000 ISM Manufacturing New Orders Index for Feb: Prior 60.4
1530 Domestic car sales for Feb: Expected 4.81 mln; Prior 4.67 mln
1530 Domestic truck sales for Feb: Expected 17.70 mln; Prior 17.61 mln
1530 Total vehicle sales for Feb: Expected 9.00 mln; Prior 9.22 mln
1530 All car sales for Feb: Prior 6.58 mln
1530 All truck sales for Feb: Prior 11.03 mln
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Canadian markets directory CANADA ($1 = C$1.33)