TSX futures up on higher crude, easing Omicron fears

Jan 4 (Reuters) – Futures for Canada’s main stock index rose on Tuesday, aided by an increase in oil prices, with easing worries around the Omicron coronavirus variant further lifting sentiment.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 1.5% at 7:00 a.m. ET.

Oil prices rose on Tuesday as investors expected OPEC+ meeting on output to stick with their planned increase for February based on indications Omicron would have only a mild impact on demand.

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE) ended 0.3% lower to 21,222.84 on Friday.

The market was looking forward to domestic economic growth data, including producer prices and raw material prices for November that is due at 08:30 a.m. ET.

Dow e-minis were up 125 points, or 0.34%, at 7:00 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-minis were up 18.5 points, or 0.39%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 63.25 points, or 0.38%.

TOP STORIES

A U.S. judge on Monday rejected BlackBerry Ltd’s (BB.TO) bid to dismiss a long-running lawsuit claiming it defrauded shareholders by inflating the success and profitability of its BlackBerry 10 smartphones, and said the class-action case could go to trial this fall. read more

Canada’s Ontario province on Monday announced restrictions to curb the spread of the coronavirus as officials warned of a “tsunami” of new COVID-19 cases in the days and weeks ahead due to the Omicron variant. read more

ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS

Equitable Group Inc (EQB.TO): RBC raises to “outperform” from “sector perform”; cuts target price to C$88 from C$91

COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET

Gold futures : $1802.6; +0.14%

US crude : $76.29; +0.26%

Brent crude : $79.28; +0.34%

U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON TUESDAY

1000 ISM Manufacturing PMI for Dec : Expected 60.1; Prior 61.1

1000 ISM Manufacturing Prices Paid for Dec : Expected 79.5; Prior 82.4

1000 ISM Manufacturing Employment Index for Dec : Prior 53.3

1000 ISM Manufacturing New Orders Index for Dec : Prior 61.5

1000 JOLTS job openings for Nov : Prior 11.033 mln

FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:

TSX market report

Canadian dollar and bonds report CA/

Reuters global stocks poll for Canada ,

Canadian markets directory

($1= C$1.27)

Reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru; Editing by Krishna Chandra Eluri

Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.