CANADA STOCKS-TSX futures slip as Middle East uncertainty weighs; payrolls in focus
June 5 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Canada's blue-chip stocks edged lower on Friday as uncertainty over peace efforts in the Middle East weighed, while investors awaited a key payrolls report due later in the day.
June futures on the S&P/TSX index SXFcv1 were down 0.2% at 6:54 a.m. ET (1054 GMT).
Iran-backed Hezbollah militia rejected a new Lebanon ceasefire on Thursday while Israel said it would not withdraw troops, undermining U.S. President Donald Trump's efforts to halt fighting there and forge peace with Tehran.
Brent crude prices were at $95 a barrel and looked set to end the week higher, as chances for a diplomatic resolution between the U.S. and Iran looked slim. O/R
Spot gold XAU= and silver XAG= fell 0.1% and 1.3%, respectively, on fears of higher inflation and elevated interest rates. GOL/
Canada's benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index .GSPTSE reached a record high on Thursday, led by financial and metal mining shares, as U.S. efforts for a Middle East peace deal bolstered investor sentiment.
The index was also on track for its third straight weekly gain, despite volatility in commodities due to the war and persistent fears of inflation and higher interest rates.
Canadian employment data, due today at 8:30 a.m. ET, is expected to show the economy adding 10,000 jobs last month and the unemployment rate holding steady at 6.9%, its highest level since October.
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