CANADA STOCKS-TSX futures slip as Fed hawks cool rate-cut hopes

Nov 14 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index fell on Friday, as hawkish comments from U.S. Federal Reserve officials dampened hopes of a December rate cut.

Canada's benchmark index tumbled 1.9% on Thursday - its sharpest drop since April - as tech shares led a broad retreat, erasing much of the prior day's rally that had propelled it to a record high. Still, the S&P/TSX composite is on course for its best weekly showing since late September, up 1.14% and poised to snap a two-week losing streak.

December futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.37% as of 05:47 a.m. ET.

Canadian stocks had advanced this week as hopes for a Fed rate cut next month lifted risk appetite, with the return of key U.S. economic data expected to reveal signs of weakness and steer policymakers toward easing borrowing costs. But fresh remarks from Fed officials have tempered those bets, slashing the odds of a December cut to 49%.

Lending support to futures on the day, oil prices climbed 2%, helped by supply fears as a Russian port in the Black Sea suspended oil exports after a Ukrainian attack.

In corporate news, Globe and Mail reported that Swedish defense company Saab is in talks with the Canadian government and Bombardier to build its Gripen fighter jet under license in Canada. The project is expected to create 10,000 jobs in the country.

Canada's ECN Capital (ECNCF) said a Warburg Pincus-led investor group will buy the financial services firm in a C$1.9 billion ($1.35 billion) deal, signaling growing private-equity interest in the sector following policy easing.

Engineering services provider Stantec (STN) slightly missed estimates for third-quarter revenue. (Reporting by Avinash P in Bengaluru; Editing by Sahal Muhammed)