Aug 2 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index slid on Friday as investors exercised caution ahead of crucial U.S. payrolls data amid a global downturn, while an uptick in commodity prices helped limit declines.
September futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 1.0% at 6:23 a.m. ET (1023 GMT).
Investors look forward to the crucial non-farm payrolls data (NFP) in the U.S., due at 8:30 a.m. ET, that is expected to shed more light on the state of the American economy.
It follows weaker factory data from Thursday that stoked fears of an economic slowdown and weighed on investor sentiment globally.
Downbeat earnings from tech companies like Intel (INTC.O), and Amazon.com (AMZN.O), sparked a sell-off in tech shares across markets, with U.S. futures falling sharply on Friday.
Meanwhile, resources-linked shares in Canada are expected to limit declines, as oil prices gained and gold was poised for its biggest weekly jump in four months.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE), ended 1.7% lower on Thursday, logging its biggest daily decline since February.
The index had closed at a record high on Wednesday, after the Federal Reserve opened the door to a September cut at its last policy decision.
In corporate news, resources companies like pipeline operator Enbridge (ENB.TO), and oil producer Imperial Oil (IMO.TO), are set to report their quarterly figures before the opening bell on Friday.
Auto parts supplier Magna International (MG.TO), opens new tab missed analysts' estimates for second-quarter results, hurt by production being stopped for certain vehicles and lower number of automobiles it assembled.
COMMODITIES AT 6:23 a.m. ET
Gold futures : $2,471.4; +1.0%
US crude : $76.41; +0.1%
Brent crude : $79.62; +0.1%
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($1= C$1.3869)
Reporting by Purvi Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Vijay Kishore
