Feb 6 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index was set to open sharply lower on Tuesday after the nation's trade deficit ballooned unexpectedly, intensifying losses in stock futures amid a rout in global equities.
March futures on the S&P TSX index SXFc1 were down 1.69 percent at 9:00 a.m. ET.
Canada's trade deficit unexpectedly widened to C$3.19 billion ($2.53 billion) in December as imports grew faster than exports for the second month in a row, data from Statistics Canada indicated on Tuesday. main stock index slumped to a 4-1/2-month low on Monday as a global selloff and weakness in energy prices hit investor sentiment. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were down 0.43 percent at 9:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were down 0.09 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were up 0.17 percent. .N
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TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Home sales in Toronto fell 22 percent in January from a year earlier as rising interest rates and tighter mortgage rules weighed on demand, but prices have stabilized as stubborn sellers and tight supply kept the correction in check. Ltd NTR.TO , the Canadian fertilizer and farm supply dealer created from the merger of Agrium Inc and Potash Corp of Saskatchewan this year, said it expected demand growth for potash in China and India to cool down in 2018. WestJet Airlines Ltd WJA.TO reported a 12 percent fall in fourth-quarter earnings, hurt by higher operating expenses as fuel prices increase. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
CAE Inc CAE.TO : RBC raises target price to C$25 from C$24
Element Fleet Management Corp EFN.TO : RBC cuts target price to C$8 from C$12
Rogers Communications Inc RCIb.TO : Morgan Stanley (NYSE:MS) cuts price target to C$65 from C$71
COMMODITIES AT 9:00 a.m. ET COM/WRAP
Gold futures GCc1 : $1333.3; +0.02 percent GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $63.49; -1.03 percent O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $66.87; -1.11 percent O/R
LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $7088.5; -1.12 percent MET/L
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($1 = C$1.25)