April 20 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to slightly lower opening for Canada’s main stock index on Friday as investors awaited inflation data and as criticism of rising prices by U.S. President Donald Trump weighed on oil.
June futures on the S&P TSX index were down 0.1 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
The annual inflation rate is expected show a 2.4 percent rise in March, from 2.2 percent in February.
Annual inflation and retail sales data are both due at 8:30 a.m. ET.
“Oil prices are artificially Very High! No good and will not be accepted!” Trump wrote in a post on Twitter.
The benchmark Brent and WTI turned negative following Trump’s tweets.
Canada’s main stock index fell on Thursday, pulling back from a four-week high reached the day before, as shares of consumer cyclical and materials companies led broad-based declines.
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were up 0.02 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures were 0.12 percent higher and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures rose 0.02 percent.
(Morning News Call newsletter link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter link.reuters.com/mex49s)
TOP STORIES
• Rogers Communications Inc’s first-quarter profit topped analysts’ forecasts as it signed up more wireless postpaid and internet customers.
• JPMorgan Chase has tested a new blockchain platform for issuing financial instruments with the National Bank of Canada and other large firms, they said, seeking to streamline origination, settlement, interest rate payments and other processes.
• Proxy advisory firm Institutional Shareholder Services on Thursday recommended the Crescent Point Energy Corp shareholders vote for activist investor Cation Capital’s two nominations to the oil and gas producer’s board.
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET
Gold futures: $1,344.1; -0.35 pct
US crude: $68.12; -0.25 pct
Brent crude: $73.57; -0.28 pct
LME 3-month copper: $6988.5; 0.06 pct
ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
• Rogers Communications Inc: Canaccord Genuity raises target price to C$69 from C$66.
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON FRIDAY
1030 ECRI Weekly Index: Prior 148.2
1030 ECRI weekly annualized: Prior 3.9 pct
FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:
TSX market report
Canadian dollar and bonds report
Reuters global stocks poll for Canada
Canadian markets directory
$1= C$1.27 Reporting by Benny Thomas in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila
Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.