Aug 19 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Canada's main stock index were muted on Wednesday after new U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods were paused by President Donald Trump, while investors also awaited the minutes of the Federal Reserve's July meeting.
September futures on the S&P/TSX index were flat at 2,145.40 points at 5:57 a.m. ET. The benchmark index had hit a 12-day low in the previous session.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced late on Tuesday he was putting a three-day pause on new 50% tariffs that were set to go into effect on Canadian goods on Wednesday, saying the two countries had reached a deal.
Following the announcement, Canada's Prime Minister Mark Carney said in a statement that "substantial progress has been made, although there is important work still to be done."
Separately, investors monitored developments in the Middle East conflict and awaited the minutes of the U.S. Federal Reserve's July meeting for clues on the central bank's interest rate trajectory.
Oil prices hit a three-week high as uncertainty over shipping through the Strait of Hormuz and ongoing supply disruptions persisted.
Brent crude futures traded around $92 per barrel, while West Texas Intermediate crude hit $85.97 a barrel.
Gold prices also climbed, supported by a weaker dollar as global bond yields stabilized.
Spot gold gained 0.6%, while silver shed 0.2%.
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Reporting by Sudeshna Ghoshal in Bengaluru; Editing by Jonathan Ananda
