June 18 (Reuters) - Futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada’s main stock index on Tuesday, as gold prices edged up on hopes of a rate cut from the U.S. Federal Reserve, which begins its two-day interest rate meeting later in the day.
June futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.44% at 7:00 a.m. ET.
April manufacturing sales data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET.
The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX index rose 51.54 points, or 0.32%, to 16,353.45 on Monday.
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were up 0.41% at 7:00 a.m. ET, S&P 500 e-mini futures were up 0.48% and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were up 0.85%.
China will block pork imports from Frigo Royal after a batch of the Canadian firm’s pork was found to contain the banned feed additive ractopamine, the customs agency said in a statement on its Wechat account.
A C$1.25 billion Canadian program to help young people buy their first homes in a hot housing market will start up on Sept. 2, most likely just before an election is called, officials indicated on Monday.
Athabasca Oil Corp: RBC initiates coverage with C$1.15 price target
Canfor Corp: CIBC raises rating to outperformer from neutral
Medipharm Labs Corp: Canaccord Genuity cuts target price to C$7.50 from C$8
COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET
Gold futures: $1,348; +0.6%
US crude: $51.74; -0.37%
Brent crude: $60.56; -0.62%
0830 Building permits: number for May: Expected 1.296 mln; Prior 1.290 mln
0830 Build permits: change mm for May: Prior 0.2%
0830 Housing starts number for May: Expected 1.239 mln; Prior 1.235 mln
0830 House starts mm: change for May: Prior 5.7%
TSX market report
Canadian dollar and bonds report
Reuters global stocks poll for Canada
Canadian markets directory ($1= C$1.34)
Reporting by Hrithik Kiran Bagade in Bengaluru; Editing by Shinjini Ganguli