Dec 20 (Reuters) – Futures tracking Canada’s main stock index fell on Friday, mirroring their Wall Street peers, as investors awaited key U.S. inflation and domestic retail sales data due later in the day.
Futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.8% at 5:58 a.m. ET (1058 GMT).
The Core Personal Consumption Expenditures data – a closely watched U.S. inflation gauge — is due at 8.30 a.m. ET.
Forecasts are centered on a monthly rise of 0.2% for November and any upward surprises could lead markets to further scale back bets for U.S. policy easing, after the Federal Reserve signaled fewer-than-expected interest rate cuts next year.
U.S. stock futures fell before the data, as investors assessed the possibility of a government shutdown.
Back home, Canada’s retail sales data for November is also due at 8:30 a.m. ET, which would offer more clues on the economy’s strength.
The Bank of Canada lowered interest rates last week by an outsized 50…
