Contracts tied to gold prices were also little changed and precious and base metal prices remained subdued as markets awaited U.S. personal consumption expenditures (PCE) data, due at 8:30 a.m. ET.

The PCE data will offer clues on the outlook for interest rate hikes and the strength of the U.S. dollar. [GOL/] [MET/L]

Oil prices were stable, but on course for their weakest performance since November. [O/R]

Canadian gross Domestic Product data (GDP), due at 8:30 a.m. ET, is expected to reflect a 0.3% rise in January, according to a Reuters poll of economists, compared with a 0.1% fall in the previous month.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.08% at 7:04 a.m. ET.

In company news, Rogers Communications Inc's C$20 billion ($15 billion) bid for Shaw Communications Inc is expected to gain government approval after the telecom firm agreed to sell Freedom Mobile to Quebecor for C$2.85 billion, as per a report.

Enbridge Inc and Norway's Yara International ASA said they are planning to invest up to $2.9 billion to build a low-carbon blue ammonia production plant in Texas.

First Quantum Minerals Ltd and Rio Tinto Ltd will form a joint venture to develop the La Granja copper project in Peru, with the Canadian miner buying a 55% stake in the project.

In the previous session, the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended 0.5% higher, underpinned by gains in commodity-linked stocks. [.TO]

Dow e-minis were up 71 points, or 0.21%, at 7:04 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-minis were up 7 points, or 0.17%, and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were down 4.25 points, or 0.03%. [.N]

COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $1,986.8; -0.09% [GOL/]

US crude: $74.86; +0.64% [O/R]

Brent crude: $79.4; +0.3% [O/R]

U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON FRIDAY

Feb Personal Consumption Expenditure data due at 8:30 am ET

March University of Michigan Consumer Sentiment due at 10:00 am ET

FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:

TSX market report [.TO]

Canadian dollar and bonds report [CAD/] [CA/]

Reuters global stocks poll for Canada

Canadian markets directory

($1 = 1.3538 Canadian dollars)

(Reporting by Johann M Cherian in Bengaluru; Editing by Pooja Desai)