May 16 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Thursday, boosted by rising oil prices.
Oil prices went up for the third straight day as fears of supply disruption amid heightened tensions in the Middle East overshadowed swelling U.S. crude inventories. futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFc1 were up 0.31% at 7:00 a.m. ET.
March manufacturing sales data is due to be released at 8:30 a.m. ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX .GSPTSE rose 33.61 points, or 0.21%, to 16,318.14 on Wednesday. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were up 0.36% at 7:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were up 0.40% and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.41%. .N
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
The head of Europe's Airbus AIR.PA said it was too early to talk about acquiring a Belfast factory placed on sale by Canada's Bombardier BBDb.TO . RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Boyd Group Income Fund BYD_u.TO : CIBC raises target price to C$187 from C$161
Yellow Pages Ltd Y.TO : RBC raises target price to C$10 from C$9
Invesque Inc IVQu.TO : Canaccord Genuity cuts target price to $7.50 from $8
COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc2 : $1,294.3; -0.27% GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $62.69; +1.08% O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $72.35; +0.81% O/R
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Building permits number for April: Expected 1.290 mln; Prior 1.288 mln
0830 Build permits change mm for April: Prior -0.2%
0830 Housing starts number for April: Expected 1.205 mln; Prior 1.139 mln
0830 House starts mm change for April: Prior -0.3%
0830 Initial jobless claims: Expected 220,000; Prior 228,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average: Prior 220,250
0830 Continued jobless claims: Expected 1.680 mln; Prior 1.684 mln
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed Business Index for May: Expected 9.0; Prior 8.5
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed 6M Index for May: Prior 19.10
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed Capex Index for May: Prior 30.90
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed Employment for May: Prior 14.70
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed Prices Paid for May: Prior 21.60
0830 (approx.) Philly Fed New Orders for May: Prior 15.70
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