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TSX down 0.15%, several triggers seen this week

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Week has three major monetary policy decisions

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Host of heavyweight earnings from U.S., Canada

(Updates with market close data, comments)

By Promit Mukherjee and Shubham Batra

July 29 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged

lower on Monday ahead of a busy earnings week and a raft of

central bank data that could set the stage for interest rate

actions in the coming months.

As of 1700 ET (2100 GMT), the S&P/TSX composite index

was down 35.24 points, or 0.15%, at 22,779.57.

"It was a little bit of a breather today ahead of a busy

week," said Martin Pelletier, senior portfolio manager at

Wellington-Altus Private Counsel, an investment dealer for high

net worth individuals.

Investors will be closely tracking the Federal Reserve's

meeting on Wednesday for signals on when the U.S. central bank

is likely to lower interest rates.

This week the Bank of Japan is likely to weigh a rate

hike, sources have told Reuters, while the Bank of England's

meeting is being watched for signs on when it might ease rates.

Monetary policy will influence the TSX and earnings

could provide further triggers, Pelletier said.

The benchmark index scaled an all-time high in mid-June

as long-term borrowing costs started to come down in Canada and

other major central banks were also expected to reduce rates.

The index logged its fifth weekly gain on Friday, driven

by a deceleration in monthly U.S. inflation. Year-to-date the

index has risen by almost 10%.

Several heavyweight U.S. and Canadian companies report

earnings this week, which could set the course for the TSX in

the coming months, said Elvis Picardo, senior portfolio manager,

iA Private Wealth, a wealth management firm.

"There are a lot of unloved sectors in Canada like

utilities and telecoms, which are catching up," he said, noting

that strong earnings and a robust outlook could boost the TSX

further.

U.S. tech giants Microsoft ( MSFT ), Meta,

Amazon ( AMZN ), and Apple ( AAPL ) report earnings this week,

along with some major Canadian companies such as BCE,

Canadian Natural Resources ( CNQ ), Canadian Pacific Kansas

City ( CP ) and Enbridge ( ENB ).

The latest U.S. jobs report is due on Friday, along with

Canada's gross domestic product for May on Wednesday.

The GDP number would be the first economic report after

the Bank of Canada's rate cut last week. Weaker economic growth

could start building a case for yet another easing in September.

The index's decline was broad-based, with energy

and technology stocks falling the most.