March 21 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index were flat on Thursday, as the U.S. Federal Reserve abandoned projections for interest rate hikes this year amid signs of an economic slowdown.
The Fed on Wednesday brought its three-year drive to tighten monetary policy to an abrupt end, saying it would halt the steady decline of its balance sheet in September. futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFc1 were marginally down 0.01 percent at 7:00 a.m. ET.
Wholesale trade data for January is due at 8:30 a.m. ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX .GSPTSE fell 20.54 points, or 0.13 percent, to close at 16,167.56 on Wednesday. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were down 0.2 percent at 7:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 edged down 0.14 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 inched down 0.06 percent. .N
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Canada's battered oil industry is rooting for the opposition in next month's election in energy heartland Alberta, investors said on Wednesday, but a brewing scandal involving the party's leader could derail its hopes of an easy victory. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remained under pressure over a corruption scandal on Wednesday as a legislator quit his party's caucus and a pre-election budget aimed at swaying key voters appeared to offer too little to stem the tide of negative news. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Alamos Gold Inc AGI.TO : National Bank of Canada cuts rating to sector perform from outperform
Alimentation Couche Tard Inc ATDb.TO : CIBC raises price target to C$82 from C$80
Curaleaf Holdings Inc CURA.CD : Canaccord Genuity raises price target to C$14 from C$13.50
COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc2 : $1315.1; +1.03 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $59.86; -0.61 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $68.14; -0.53 percent O/R
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 225,000; Prior 229,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 223,750
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 1.772 mln; Prior 1,776 mln
0830 Philly Fed Business Index for Mar: Expected 4.5; Prior -4.1
0830 Philly Fed 6M Index for Mar: Prior 31.30
0830 Philly Fed Capex Index for Mar: Prior 31.70
0830 Philly Fed Employment for Mar: Prior 14.50
0830 Philly Fed Prices Paid for Mar: Prior 21.80
0830 Philly Fed New Orders for Mar: Prior -2.40
1000 Leading index change mm for Feb: Expected 0.1 pct; Prior -0.1 pct
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