TSX futures decline on sliding commodity prices

Reuters

Published Feb 28, 2024 07:42

(Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index tumbled on Wednesday tracking a decline in commodity prices, as investors assessed big bank earnings in Canada and awaited key inflation data from the United States.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.6% at 6:52 a.m. ET (11:52 GMT), mirroring losses in the Wall Street peers. [.N]

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended 0.03% lower on Tuesday, as losses in financial shares offset gains in energy. (TO)

Energy shares are expected to reverse two days of gains on a 1% decline in oil prices, as the prospect of delays in interest rate cuts in the U.S. and a rise in U.S. crude stocks offset a boost from a potential extension to OPEC+ supply curbs. [O/R]

Materials stocks are poised to extend their losses as gold prices edged down on a stronger dollar, while more bad news from China's property sector weighed on copper prices. [GOL/] [MET/L]

Investors continue to parse quarterly earnings from big banks in Canada as Royal Bank of Canada (TSX:RY) reported a lower first-quarter profit on Wednesday, hurt by bigger provisions for loans.

However, the National Bank of Canada (TSX:NA) reported a higher first-quarter profit as robust performance at its financial markets unit cushioned the hit from an increase in loan loss provisions.

On the data front, a monthly reading of personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price index in the U.S., the Federal Reserve's preferred inflation gauge, is due on Thursday, alongside a gross domestic product (GDP) reading in Canada.

The data follows a hot reading of consumer prices (CPI) in the U.S. that had dashed early rate cut hopes from the Fed earlier this month, while a significant drop in Canadian CPI had brought forward bets for a cut by the Bank of Canada.

COMMODITIES AT 6:52 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2,036.4; -0.4% [GOL/]