Aug 17 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a lower opening for Canada's main stock index on Thursday even as oil prices steadied after U.S. data showed a big fall in crude stockpiles.
Energy Information Administration (EIA) data showed commercial U.S. crude stocks have fallen by almost 13 percent from their peaks in March to 466.5 million barrels. futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were down 0.16 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Canadian manufacturing sales data is expected at 08:30 a.m. ET ECONCA .
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were down 0.14 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were down 0.15 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were down 0.27 percent. .N
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TOP STORY TOP/CAN
Sears Canada Inc SRSCQ.PK , which filed for creditor protection in June, said in a staff memo Executive Chairman Brandon Stranzl had stepped away from day-to-day operations to focus on plans for the retailer to continue as a going concern. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Metro Inc MRU.TO : CIBC cuts target price to C$46 from C$48
Prometic Life Sciences PLI.TO : National Bank of Canada cuts rating to "sector perform"
RMP Energy Inc RMP.TO : Raymond James cuts rating to "underperform" from "market perform"
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1284.8; +0.62 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $46.67; -0.24 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $50.23; -0.08 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $6499; -0.51 percent MET/L
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 240,000; Prior 244,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 241,000
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 1.953 mln; Prior 1.951 mln
0830 Philly Fed Business Index for Aug: Expected 18.5; Prior 19.5
0830 Philly Fed 6M Index for Aug: Prior 36.90
0830 Philly Fed Capex Index for Aug: Prior 42.00
0830 Philly Fed Employment for Aug: Prior 10.90
0830 Philly Fed Prices Paid for Aug: Prior 19.10
0830 Philly Fed New Orders for Aug: Prior 2.10
0915 Industrial production mm for July: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.4 pct
0915 Capacity utilization mm for July: Expected 76.7 pct; Prior 76.6 pct
0915 Manufacturing output mm for July: Expected 0.2 pct; Prior 0.2 pct
1000 Leading index change mm for July: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.6 pct
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