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TSX set to open higher as Greece pessimism fades

A man walks past an old Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) sign in Toronto, June 23, 2014. REUTERS/Mark Blinch

(Reuters) - Stock futures pointed to a higher opening for Canada's main stock index on Wednesday, tracking gains in Asia and Europe, as pessimism over the Greek deal saga faded. March futures on the S&P TSX index were up 0.19 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET. Wholesale trade data is due at 8:30 a.m. ET. Canada's main stock index edged higher on Tuesday as a jump in Restaurant Brands International Inc , following the fast-food chain's quarterly report, helped offset declines in the natural resource sectors after commodity prices weakened. Dow Jones Industrial Average e-mini futures <1YMc1> were up 0.04 percent at 7:15 a.m. ET on Wednesday, while S&P 500 e-mini futures were down 0.02 percent and Nasdaq 100 e-mini futures were up 0.07 percent. (Morning News Call newsletter http://link.reuters.com/nex49s; The Day Ahead newsletter http://link.reuters.com/mex49s) TOP STORIES Canada is imposing sanctions against top Russian oil firm NK Rosneft OAO and the head of conglomerate Rostec, among others, in response to the actions of Russian-backed militants in Ukraine, Ottawa said on Tuesday. Cenovus Energy Inc , Canada's No. 2 independent oil producer, said on Tuesday that it had agreed to sell 67.5 million shares to a group of underwriters as it seeks to raise about C$1.5 billion for its 2015 capital spending budget as oil prices remain weak. COMMODITIES AT 7:15 a.m. ET Gold futures : $1,208.5; +0.03 pct US crude : $52.73; -1.49 pct Brent crude : $61.34; -1.9 pct LME 3-month copper : $5,689.5; +0.71 pct ANALYST RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS Trinidad Drilling : Raymond James raises to outperform from market perform Exfo Inc : CIBC cuts to sector underperformer from sector performer Rona Inc : National Bank Financial raises to outperform from sector perform U.S. ECONOMIC DATA DUE ON WEDNESDAY 0830 Building permits number for Jan: Expected +1.069 mln; Prior +1.058 mln 0830 Build permits change mm for Jan: Prior +0.6 pct 0830 Housing Starts number mm for Jan: Expected +1.070 mln; Prior +1.089 mln 0830 House starts change mm for Jan: Prior +4.4 pct 0830 PPI final demand mm for Jan: Expected -0.4 pct; Prior -0.2 pct 0830 PPI ex-food/energy mm for Jan: Expected +0.1 pct; Prior +0.3 pct 0830 PPI final demand yy for Jan: Expected +0.3 pct; Prior +1.1 pct 0830 PPI ex-food/energy yy for Jan: Expected +2.0 pct; Prior +2.1 pct 0915 Industrial output mm for Jan: Prior -0.1 pct 0915 Capacity utilization mm for Jan: Expected +79.9 pct; Prior +79.7 pct 0915 Manufacturing output mm for Jan: Expected +0.3 pct; Prior +0.3 pct FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES: Reuters global stocks poll for Canada Canadian markets directory (Reporting by Nandi Kaul in Bengaluru; Editing by Simon Jennings)