CANADA STOCKS-TSX futures gain on higher oil prices

 Aug 16 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index
were up on Friday as crude oil prices rebounded after positive
U.S. retail sales data helped ease concerns of a recession in
the world's largest economy. September futures on the S&P/TSX index were up
0.63%, as of 7:15 a.m. ET. Canadian investment in foreign securities and foreign
investment in Canadian securities data are due at 08:30 a.m. ET. The Toronto Stock Exchange S&P/TSX composite index closed down 33.41 points, or 0.21%, at 16,012.53 on Thursday. Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures were up
1% at 7:15 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-mini futures were up
1.03% and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were up 1.33%. TOP STORIES A recent unsolicited bid for Inter Pipeline Ltd has
highlighted the potential of Canada's midstream companies to
offer insulation from volatile oil prices. Canadian pot grower CannTrust Holdings on Thursday
said that the sale of over half of its stock of marijuana and
around a quarter of its plants had been suspended following the
discovery of unlicensed cultivation at its
facilities. ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Extendicare Inc : CIBC upgrades rating to "outperformer" from "neutral" Intact Financial Corp : KBW raises price target to
C$125 from C$122 Just Energy Group Inc : CIBC cuts rating to "underperformer" from "neutral" COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET Gold futures : $1513.4; -0.55 percent US crude : $55.4; +1.71 percent Brent crude : $59.27; +1.79 percent U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON FRIDAY 0830 Building permits: number for July: Expected 1.270 mln;
Prior 1.232 mln 0830 Building permits: change mm for July: Prior -5.2% 0830 Housing starts number for July: Expected 1.257 mln;
Prior 1.253 mln 0830 Housing starts mm: change for July: Prior -0.9% 1000 U Mich Sentiment Preliminary for Aug: Expected 97.2;
Prior 98.4 1000 U Mich Conditions Preliminary for Aug: Expected 110.4;
Prior 110.7 1000 U Mich Expectations Preliminary for Aug: Expected 89;
Prior 90.5 1000 U Mich 1 year inflation preliminary for Aug: Prior 2.6% 1000 U Mich 5-year inflation preliminary for Aug: Prior 2.5% 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$1.33) (Reporting by Siddharth Athreya V in Bengaluru, Editing by
Sherry Jacob-Phillips)