CANADA STOCKS-TSX futures tick up after US data signals economic resilience

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Canada's main stock index rose on Thursday, mirroring moves on Wall Street, after unexpectedly strong U.S. jobs data signaled a stable labor market.

March futures on the S&P/TSX ?composite index were up 0.28%, as of 5:48 ?a.m. ET, tracking a similar-sized move in U.S. stock future indexes.

U.S. employers added more ?jobs in January than widely expected, signaling a steady labor market, ?which dented hopes for more interest-rate cuts from the ?Fed in ?the near term.

Investors will also keep an eye on the inflation data from the U.S. ?due on Friday.

Toronto's resources-heavy benchmark ?index ended 0.01% lower on Wednesday, pulling back from an intra-day record high, as weakness in tech stocks offset ?gains in commodity-linked stocks.

On Thursday, spot ?gold declined ?0.34%, and silver 0.7%. A firmer dollar also pressured the prices of precious metals.

Lower interest rates reduce the opportunity cost of ?holding non-yielding gold.

Meanwhile, oil prices eased after early gains in the day ?as traders assessed the supply outlook amid lingering fears of a U.S. attack on Iran, and rising crude inventories in U.S.

U.S. President Donald Trump said after talks with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on ?Wednesday ?that they had yet to reach a definitive agreement ?on how to move forward with Iran but that negotiations with ?Tehran would continue.

In aftermarket earnings on Wednesday, Canada's Manulife Financial (MFC) reported a lower fourth-quarter profit, while its peer Sun Life reported a jump in profit for the same quarter.

The U.S. House of Representatives on Wednesday narrowly backed a measure disapproving of Trump's tariffs on Canada, although it is unlikely to garner ?enough support in Congress to overcome an expected Trump veto.

FOR CANADIAN MARKETS NEWS, CLICK ON CODES:

TSX market report

Canadian dollar and bonds ?report

Reuters global stocks poll for ?Canada

Canadian markets directory

(Reporting by Utkarsh Tushar Hathi; ?Editing by Shreya Biswas)