Sept 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index futures traded near flat on Friday as investors waited for inflation data amid concerns over rising tensions between North Korea and the United States.
CPI inflation data for August and retail sales data for July are due at 08:30 a.m. ET.
North Korea said on Friday it might test a hydrogen bomb over the Pacific Ocean after U.S. President Donald Trump vowed to destroy the reclusive country in his United Nations address. December futures on the S&P TSX index were down 0.01 percent at 7:40 a.m. ET.
Canada's main stock index extended a 14-week high on Thursday, helped by gains in heavyweight banking and energy stocks.
Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were down 0.06 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET, while the S&P 500 e-mini futures were down 0.11 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were down 0.22 percent.
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TOP STORIES
Despite Canada's threats to walk away from North American Free Trade Agreement talks if necessary, its limited success in diversifying exports leaves the nation too reliant on U.S. markets to play hardball, government insiders and trade experts say.
A strike that began Sunday at a Canadian General Motors Co plant is having a ripple effect, with the company temporarily laying off workers at three parts facilities on Thursday.
ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS
ECN Capital Corp: Credit Suisse raises price target to C$4.75 from C$4.50
Tahoe Resources Inc: Canaccord Genuity raises target price to C$11 from C$10.75
COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET
Gold futures: $1298.8; +0.30 pct
US crude: $50.52; -0.06 percent
Brent crude: $56.48; +0.09 percent
LME 3-month copper: $6426; -0.83 percent
U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON FRIDAY
0945 Markit Composite Flash PMI for Sep: Prior 55.30
0945 Markit Manufacturing PMI Flash for Sep: Expected 53.0; Prior 52.8
0945 Markit Services PMI Flash for Sep: Expected 55.9; Prior 56.0
1030 ECRI Weekly Index: Prior 143.3
1030 ECRI weekly annualized: Prior 0.3 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$1.23) (Reporting by Pathikrit Bandyopadhyay in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)