Feb 13 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index futures fell on Thursday, mirroring global equity markets, as a surge in new coronavirus cases in China stoked panic amongst investors.
The Chinese province at the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak reported a record rise in deaths and thousands more cases on Thursday under a new diagnostic method, raising fresh questions about the scale of the crisis. prices fell on Thursday after OPEC and IEA reports cut back demand forecasts for this year on the back of the coronavirus outbreak in China, the world's biggest oil importer. futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFc1 were down 0.57% at 7:00 a.m. ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's TSX ended 0.31% higher at 17,832.85 on Wednesday. Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures 1YMc1 were down 0.69% at 7:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures ESc1 were down 0.68% and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures NQc1 were down 0.78%. .N
TOP STORIES TOP/CAN
Canada's biggest life insurers reported increases in core quarterly profit on Wednesday as gains in earnings from wealth and asset management helped offset slower growth elsewhere. Manulife Financial Corp MFC.TO missed estimates as earnings from Canada fell 5.6%, while Sun Life Financial SLF.TO beat expectations despite only posting 2% increase in profit from its Asian business, its traditional growth driver. Australia Ltd CTX.AX said Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc ATDb.TO has raised its buyout offer to A$8.80 billion ($5.93 billion), in a final attempt to sway the oil refiner and convenience store firm after interest from Britain's EG Group. Tire Corp Ltd CTCa.TO beat quarterly profit estimates on Thursday, buoyed by strength in the diversified retailer's credit card business and strong demand at its retail stores. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS RCH/CA
Acadian Timber Corp ADN.TO : CIBC raises target price to C$18 from C$17
Hydro One Ltd H.TO : RBC raises target price to C$30 from C$26
Western Forest Products Inc WEF.TO : RBC raises rating to sector perform from underperform
COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET
Gold futures GCc2 : $1,573.2; +0.28% GOL/
US crude CLc1 : $51.00; -0.31% O/R
Brent crude LCOc1 : $55.37; -0.75% O/R
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY
0830 Core CPI mm, SA for Jan: Expected 0.2%; Prior 0.1%
0830 Core CPI yy, NSA for Jan: Expected 2.2%; Prior 2.3%
0830 CPI Index, NSA for Jan: Expected 257.863; Prior 256.974
0830 Core CPI Index, SA for Jan: Prior 265.92
0830 CPI mm, SA for Jan: Expected 0.2%; Prior 0.2%
0830 CPI yy, NSA for Jan: Expected 2.4%; Prior 2.3%
0830 Real weekly earnings mm for Jan: Expected 0.1%; Prior -0.1%
0830 (approx.) CPI mm NSA for Jan: Prior -0.090%
0830 (approx.) CPI Index SA for Jan: Prior 258.500
0830 Initial jobless claims : Expected 210,000; Prior 202,000
0830 Jobless claims 4-week average : Prior 211,750
0830 Continued jobless claims : Expected 1.745 mln; Prior 1.751 mln
1100 Cleveland fed CPI for Jan: Prior 0.2%
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($1 = 1.33 Canadian dollars)