(Updates after CPI and retail sales data)
March 21 (Reuters) - Stock futures on Canada's main stock index were little changed on Friday after data showed higher-than-expected retail sales and a slower rate of annual inflation.
June futures on the S&P TSX index
0#SXF: were up 0.17 percent at 0845 ET, slightly below their level before the data.
Retail trade in January rose by a higher-than-expected 1.3 percent from December, partially recovering from the extreme weather-related decline the previous month.
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Annual inflation eased to 1.1 percent in February from a 1-1/2-year high of 1.5 percent in January, but above the average market forecast of a 0.9 percent.
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Banks led stocks higher on Thursday as investors bet on higher U.S. interest rates and a continuing recovery in the U.S. economy. In her first press conference as chair of the Federal Reserve, Janet Yellen on Wednesday indicated that the first increase in rates could come in the first half of next year.
Dow Jones industrial average futures
DJc2 were up 0.31 percent At 0830 ET, S&P 500 futures
SPc1 were up 0.23 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures
NDc1 were up 0.26 percent.
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TOP STORIES
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Private equity investment firm Onex Corp
OCX.TO said it would sell The Warranty Group, a provider of extended warranty contracts, to an affiliate of TPG Capital Management LP for an enterprise value of about $1.5 billion.
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Silver Wheaton Corp
SLW.TO reported a 47 percent fall in quarterly profit due to a decline in metal prices, but forecast slightly higher production for the current year.
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Bombardier Inc
BBDb.TO provided an upbeat 2016 revenue forecast on Thursday despite its struggles to get its costly new Cseries jetliner into service.
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Railway staff of Canadian National Railway Co
CNR.TO narrowly voted against a strike-busting labor deal tentatively agreed upon by the company and union.
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COMMODITIES AT 0830 ET
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Thomson Reuters-Jefferies CRB Index
.TRJCRBTR : 300.5441; +0.12 pct
Gold futures
GCc1 : $1,339.1; +0.65 pct
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US crude
CLc1 : $99.27; +0.37 pct
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Brent crude
LCOc1 : $107.01; +0.53 pct
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LME 3-month copper
CMCU3 : $6,528.75; +1.54 pct
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ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
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Medical Facilities
DR.TO : TD Securities raises to buy from hold; raises target price to C$21
Parex Resources
PXT.TO : Canaccord Genuity raises to buy from hold; raises target price to C$10.50
Newalta Corp
NAL.TO : CIBC cuts to sector performer from sector outperformer
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON FRIDAY
1030 ECRI weekly index w/e: Prior 133.8
1030 ECRI weekly annualized for w/e: Prior +2.3 pct
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Reuters global stocks poll for Canada
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EPOLL/CA
Canadian markets directory
($1= $1.11 Canadian)
(Reporting by Ayesha Sruti Ahmed in Bangalore; Editing by Ted Kerr)
((ayeshasruti.ahmed@thomsonreuters.com)(91 80 6749 4811)(Reuters Messaging:)(ayeshasruti.ahmed.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net))
Keywords: MARKETS CANADA/STOCKS
URN:
urn:newsml:reuters.com:20140321:nL3N0MI2TH:3
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