Canada Stocks: TSX futures flat as investors monitor lingering Middle East tensions

Freehold Royalties

13/03/2026 10:48

March 13 (Reuters) - Futures tied to Canada's main stock index were muted on Friday, and the main cash index was on track for a second straight weekly fall, with elevated crude oil prices and inflation concerns keeping investors on edge as hostilities in the Middle East showed no signs of easing.

March futures on the S&P/TSX composite index SXFcv1 edged up 0.07% as of 6:36 a.m. ET, while futures for Wall Street's main indexes were mixed.

U.S. President Donald Trump derided Iran's leaders as "deranged scumbags" as the war in the Middle East approached the two-week mark on Friday. Meanwhile, new Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei on Thursday vowed to keep the Strait of Hormuz blocked.

Brent crude futures for May LCOc1 hovered near the $101-per-barrel mark and were headed for weekly gains on supply disruptions. Gold prices XAU= were slightly higher on the day, while spot silver XAG= dipped more than 1%.

Canada's main stock index .GSPTSE is headed for a second consecutive week of declines as inflationary concerns stemming from the oil surge dampen global risk sentiment. Industrials .GSPTTIN and information technology .SPTTTK sectors were the worst hit this week.

Oil's surge has left the Canadian benchmark down more than 4% from levels seen before the conflict that began on February 28. The index closed at a one-month low in the last session.

Focus would be on Canadian February jobs data, due before the bell, as investors look for cues on the interest rate path. Traders also await U.S. inflation and GDP reading due later in the day.

Brokerage RBC downgraded its rating on Canadian oil and gas royalty firm Freehold Royalties FRU.TO to "sector perform" from "outperform", while Canaccord Genuity upgraded civil contractor North American Construction NOA.TO to "buy" from "hold".

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 (Reporting by Rashika Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Diti Pujara)

 ((Rashika.Singh@thomsonreuters.com))