June 14 (Reuters) - Stock futures for Canada's main stock index on Thursday were flat after the U.S. Federal Reserve raised interest rates on Wednesday and as the European Central Bank prepared to wind down its 2.55 trillion-euro stimulus programme.
In raising its benchmark overnight lending rate a quarter of a percentage point to a range of 1.75 percent to 2 percent, the Fed dropped its pledge to keep rates low enough to stimulate the economy "for some time" and signaled it would tolerate inflation above its 2 percent target at least through 2020. ECB is expected to argue that its 2.55 trillion euro ($3.00 trillion) bond-buying scheme has done its job in bringing the 19-member currency bloc back from the brink of collapse.
June futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFc1 were down 0.02 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
New housing price index data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX .GSPTSE fell 23.16 points, or 0.14 percent, to 16,265.82, on Wednesday. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.02 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were flat and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were down 0.09 percent. .N
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Italy will not ratify the European Union's free trade agreement with Canada because it does not ensure sufficient protection for the country's specialty foods, new Agriculture Minister Gian Marco Centinaio said in a newspaper interview. National Railway Co CNR.TO said it plans to invest around C$210 million in Quebec this year to expand its railway network across the province. energy company Enbridge Inc ENB.TO started construction of the offshore border crossing section of its $1.6 billion Valley Crossing natural gas pipeline between Texas and Mexico, according to a U.S. federal filing made available on Wednesday. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Altagas Ltd ALA.TO : National Bank of Canada raises price target to C$29 from C$28
Canada Goose Holdings Inc GOOS.TO : Barclays (LON:BARC) raises target price to C$64 from C$50
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCcv1 : $1309; rose 0.59 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $66.91; rose 0.41 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $76.64; fell 0.13 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $7203.5; fell 0.74 percent MET/L
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Import prices mm for May: Expected 0.5 pct; Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Export prices mm for May: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.6 pct
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 224,000; Prior 222,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 225,500
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 1.737 mln; Prior 1.741 mln
0830 Retail sales ex-autos mm for May: Expected 0.5 pct; Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Retail sales mm for May: Expected 0.4 pct; Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Retail ex gas/autos for May: Prior 0.3 pct
0830 Retail control for May: Expected 0.4 pct; Prior 0.4 pct
1000 Business inventories mm for April: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior 0.0 pct
1000 Retail invite ex auto revised for April: Prior 0.5 pct
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