Feb 21 (Reuters) - Futures pointed to a flat opening for Canada's main stock index on Thursday, as investors await the United States and China to make progress in resolving their trade dispute.
Officials have begun outlining commitments in principle on subjects of forced technology transfer and cyber theft, intellectual property rights, services, currency, agriculture and non-tariff barriers to trade, sources told Reuters. futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFc1 were flat at 7:00 a.m. ET.
December wholesale trade data is due at 08:30 a.m. ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX .GSPTSE rose 93.80 points, or 0.59 percent, to close at 16,031.24 on Wednesday. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 inched up 0.08 percent at 7:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were marginally up 0.06 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.2 percent. .N
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
The Canadian government will unveil its budget for the 2019/20 fiscal year on March 19 and outline ways to provide more access to prescription drugs, Finance Minister Bill Morneau said on Wednesday, confirming a report from Reuters. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau on Wednesday calmed restless legislators at a meeting to discuss two resignations that rocked his Liberal government, but side-stepped questions about how he planned to handle the crisis, party sources said. world's biggest undeveloped gold and copper mining project, planned in southwestern Alaska near the largest fishery for sockeye salmon globally, moved a step closer to approval on Wednesday after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers released a draft environmental impact statement. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Alcanna Inc CLIQ.TO : CIBC cuts price target to C$6 from C$9.
Savaria Corp SIS.TO : LB Securities cuts price target to C$16.50 from C$20.
Emera Inc EMA.TO : RBC raises price target to C$53 from C$50.
COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc2 : $1,333.9; -0.8 pct GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $57.39; +0.4 pct O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $67.18; +0.15 pct O/R
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Durable goods for Dec: Expected 1.5 pct; Prior 0.7 pct
0830 Durables ex-transport for Dec: Expected 0.3 pct; Prior -0.4 pct
0830 Durables ex-defense mm for Dec: Expected 0.4 pct; Prior -0.1 pct
0830 Nondefense cap ex-air for Dec: Expected 0.2 pct; Prior -0.6 pct
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 229,000; Prior 239,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 231,750
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 1.740 mln; Prior 1.773 mln
0830 Philly Fed Business Index for Feb: Expected 14.0; Prior 17.0
0830 Philly Fed 6M Index for Feb: Prior 31.2
0830 Philly Fed Capex Index for Feb: Prior 31.60
0830 Philly Fed Employment for Feb: Prior 9.60
0830 Philly Fed Prices Paid for Feb: Prior 32.70
0830 Philly Fed New Orders for Feb: Prior 21.30
0945 Markit Composite Flash PMI for Feb: Prior 54.4
0945 Markit Manufacturing PMI Flash for Feb: Expected 54.7; Prior 54.9
0945 Markit Services PMI Flash for Feb: Expected 54.3; Prior 54.2
1000 Existing home sales for Jan: Expected 5.00 mln; Prior 4.99 mln
1000 Existing home sales percentage change for Jan: Expected 0.8 percent; Prior -6.4 percent
1000 Leading index change mm for Jan: Expected 0.1 percent; Prior -0.1 percent
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