CANADA STOCKS-TSX set to open lower on Yellen comments

March 20 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a lower opening for Canada's main stock index on Thursday after Federal Reserve Chair Janet Yellen hinted at a potential earlier-than-anticipated increase in interest rates.

June futures on the S&P TSX index 0#SXF: were down 0.17 percent at 0715 ET.

The index slipped on Wednesday after the Fed stuck with its plan to withdraw its monetary stimulus and dropped a guideline for when interest rates may eventually rise. News Search ID:nL2N0MG1EC

Dow Jones industrial average futures DJc2 were down 0.22 percent at 0715 ET, S&P 500 futures SPc2 were down 0.31 percent and Nasdaq 100 futures NDc2 were down 0.37 percent.

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TOP STORIES Href="NewsSearch">TOP/CAN

Alberta Premier Alison Redford said she would resign as leader of the oil-rich province following an expenses scandal that sank her party's popularity. News Search ID:nL2N0MH012

Loral Space & Communications Inc LORL.O , which holds a majority stake in satellite communications company Telesat Holdings Inc, has selected private equity firm Apax Partners and two Canadian pension funds to negotiate a sale of Telesat, people familiar with the matter said. News Search ID:nL2N0MG158

Peru said it was working with Bear Creek Mining BCM.V to avoid being sued by the company under free trade protections over its suspended silver project. News Search ID:nL2N0MH032

A record-shattering Canadian harvest, combined with one of the most frigid winters in decades, has created a grain-handling backlog that will not be cleared until next year, the head of Canadian National Railway Co CNR.TO said. News Search ID:nL2N0MG1CX

COMMODITIES AT 0715 ET Href="NewsSearch">COM/WRAP

Gold futures GCc1 : $1,333; -0.63 pct Href="NewsSearch">GOL/

US crude CLc1 : $100.02; -0.37 pct Href="NewsSearch">O/R

Brent crude LCOc1 : $105.66; -0.18 pct Href="NewsSearch">O/R

LME 3-month copper CMCU3 : $6,439; -1.74 pct Href="NewsSearch">MET/L

ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Href="NewsSearch">RCH/CA

Canyon Services Grp FRC.TO : Canaccord Genuity raises to buy; Raymond James, CIBC up target

Emera Inc EMA.TO : Canaccord Genuity cuts to hold from buy

KP Tissue KPT.TO : RBC, CIBC cut target price

U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON THURSDAY

08:30 Initial jobless claims w/e: Expected 325,000 Prior 315,000

08:30 Jobless claims 4-wk avg w/e: Prior 330,500

08:30 Continued jobless claims w/e: Expected 2.868 mln Prior 2.855 mln

10:00 Existing home sales Feb: Expected 4.60 mln Prior 4.62 mln

10:00 Existing home sales pct chg Feb: Expected +0.4 pct Prior -5.1 pct

10:00 Leading index change mm Feb: Expected +0.2 pct Prior +0.3 pct

10:00 Philly Fed business index Mar: Expected +3.8 Prior -6.3

10:00 Philly Fed 6-mth index Mar: Prior 40.20

10:00 Philly Fed capex index Mar: Prior 19.90

10:00 Philly Fed employment Mar: Prior 4.80

10:00 Philly Fed prices paid Mar: Prior 14.20

10:00 Philly Fed new orders Mar: Prior -5.20

FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES IN BRACKETS:

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Reuters global stocks poll for Canada EQUITYPOLL1

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