April 28 (Reuters) - Stock futures for Canada’s main stock index were indicating a positive start for the week, with June futures on the S&P TSX index <0#SXF:> up 0.23 percent at 0715 ET.
The index slipped on Friday, as tensions in Ukraine injected a note of caution into trading. [ID: nL2N0NH1UK]
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures were up 0.25 percent at 0715 ET, while S&P 500 futures were up 0.31 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures were up 0.30 percent.
(Morning News Call newsletter link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter link.reuters.com/mex49s)
TOP STORIES
Precision Drilling Corp, Canada’s largest oil and gas drilling contractor, reported a 9 percent rise in first-quarter profit, helped by higher prices and strong drilling activity in North America and internationally.
Air Canada’s largest union has asked the labor board to treat the carrier, its low-cost Rouge subsidiary and an airline that provides its regional service, as a single employer, forcing them to honor Air Canada’s contract with the union.
If Telus Corp hopes to press its advantage in an upcoming auction of wireless airwaves, the Canadian telecom may need to abandon its plan to snatch a floundering rival out of creditor protection and back away from a nasty fight with the government.
COMMODITIES AT 0715 ET
Gold futures : $1,301.8; +0.08 pct
US crude : $101.29; 0.69 pct
Brent crude : $109.92; 0.31 pct
LME 3-month copper : $6,760.50; -0.07 pct
ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Atco Ltd : CIBC, National Bank Financial raise target price on stock
BCE Inc : RBC cuts rating to sector perform from outperform
Canadian Utilities : NBF cuts rating to sector perform
Savanna Energy Services : Raymond James raises rating to strong buy from outperform
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON MONDAY
1000 Pending Homes Index for March: Expected 95.3 prior 93.9
1000 Pending Sales Change mm for March: Prior -0.8 pct
1030 Dallas Fed Manufacturing Business Index for April: Prior 4.90
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$1= $1.10 Canadian Reporting by Mononshila Deka in Banagalore; Editing by Ted Kerr
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