(Reuters) – Futures for Canada’s major stock index rose on Thursday, as oil prices increased. Investors are still waiting for key U.S. inflation data to determine if the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise its rate.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.1% at 7:00 a.m. ET.

After rallying due to an unexpected fall in inventories during the previous session and as investors waited for the U.S.-Iran nuke talks, oil prices rose Thursday. This was because they were anticipating a rapid increase in crude supply to global markets.[O/R]

The Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index ended 1.1% higher at 21,604.19 on Wednesday. ()

At 7:00 AM, they were up 0.2% or 57 points. ET was up by 57 points (or 0.2%) at 7:00 AM. They were also down by 4.5 points (0.1%) and 32.25 points (or 0.21%). [.N]

TOP STORIES [TOP/CAN]

Canadian insurers Manulife Financial, (NYSE:), and Sun Life Financial, (NYSE:), narrowly beat quarterly earnings forecasts on Wednesday. Strong growth in asset management units drove strong earnings, while Sun Life advised that Omicron variation spread would affect first-quarter earnings.

Canadian authorities are trying to curb the protests that have been ongoing for two weeks against government pandemic actions. However, the Canadian capital Ottawa is beginning to see signs of normalcy as a result.

HIGHLIGHTS ON ANALYST REsearch [RCH/CA]

Veritas Research makes Laurentian Bank of Canada less expensive

Sun Life Financial: National Bank of Canada: (OTC) reductions to sector performfrom outperform

Wildbrain Ltd. Canaccord Genuity buys from Hold

COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET

: $1,832.1; -0.19% [GOL/]

US crude: $90.64 ; +1.10% [O/R]

: $92.21; +0.72% [O/R]

U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE THURSDAY

Data on consumer price inflation due 8:30 AM ET

Data on the first week of February 5, 2008 for jobless claims

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($1= C$1.27)