March 2 (Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Monday, with March futures on the S&P TSX index up 0.15 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET.
Fourth-quarter current account data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET and RBC's manufacturing PMI data is due at 9:30 a.m. ET.
Canada's main stock index closed little changed on Friday as shares of gold miners and banks climbed, helping calm investor fears about the impact a sluggish economy and the oil-price slump are having on financial institutions.
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were up 0.07 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, S&P 500 e-mini futures were up 0.05 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were up 0.14 percent. (Morning News Call newsletter http://link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s)
TOP STORIES
BlackBerry Ltd said it plans to offer a cloud-based version of its device management platform BES12, a move that will make the service more accessible to small- and medium-sized businesses that need to secure devices on their own networks.
The Canadian government outlined plans on Sunday to extend for a year exploration tax credits offered to miners and broaden the scope of the credits, in an attempt to boost a sector that has been ravaged by falling commodity prices and a scarcity of funding.
Canadian insurance company Sun Life Financial Inc said it was looking for acquisition opportunities in business areas such as wealth management that are less impacted low interest rates.
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET
Gold futures : $1,214.8; +0.18 pct
US crude : $48.83; -1.87 pct
Brent crude : $61.39; -1.9 pct
LME 3-month copper : $5,887.5; -0.13 pct
ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
Artis REIT : Canaccord raises target price to C$16.50 from C$15.50
Crombie REIT : CIBC raises to sector "outperformer" from "sector performer"
First Quantum Minerals : Nomura raises to "buy" from "neutral"
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON MONDAY
0830 Personal consumption real mm for Jan: Prior -0.1 pct
0830 Personal income mm for Jan: Expected +0.4 pct; Prior +0.3 pct
0830 Consumption, adjusted mm for Jan: Expected -0.1 pct; Prior -0.3 pct
0830 Core PCE Price Index mm for Jan: Expected +0.1 pct; Prior +0.0 pct
0830 Core PCE Price Index yy for Jan: Prior +1.3 pct
0830 PCE Price Index mm for Jan: Prior -0.2 pct
0830 PCE Price Index yy for Jan: Prior +0.7 pct
0945 Markit Manufacturing PMI Final for Feb: Prior +54.3
1000 Construction Spending mm for Jan: Expected +0.3 pct; Prior +0.4 pct
1000 ISM manufacturing PMI for Feb: Expected +53.1; Prior +53.5
1000 ISM manufacturing prices Paid fors Feb: Expected +37.00; Prior +35.00
1000 ISM Manufacturing Employment Index for Feb: Expected +54.00; Prior +54.10
1000 ISM Manufacturing New Orders Index for Feb: Prior +52.9
1300 Dallas Fed PCE for Jan: Prior +0.7 pct
FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:
TSX market report
Canadian dollar and bonds report
Reuters global stocks poll for Canada
Canadian markets directory ($1= C$1.25) (Reporting by Nandi Kaul in Bengaluru; Editing by Savio D'Souza)