July 29 (Reuters) - Futures linked to Canada's main

stock index kicked off the week on a positive note as gold

prices gained, while investors awaited domestic GDP data and

U.S. big tech earnings for more clues on the health of their

economies and markets.

September futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.3%

at 6:20 a.m. ET (1020 GMT).

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index

ended higher last week as investors cheered U.S.

inflation data that could clinch the start of Federal Reserve's

interest-rate cuts in the coming months.

Energy shares could see an impact as oil prices

swung between gains and losses on fears of a widening

conflict in the Middle East following a rocket strike in the

Israeli-occupied Golan Heights, which Israel and the U.S. blamed

on Lebanese armed group Hezbollah.

The materials sector could climb as gold and silver prices

firmed on heightened geopolitical tensions in the Middle East

and expectations of a U.S. rate cut in September, while copper

prices slid on China demand concerns.

All eyes will be on the U.S. central bank this week that

will deliver its interest rate decision on Wednesday, while

Canada will release its GDP figures for May.

On Friday, the focus will shift to the monthly jobs report

from the world's largest economy.

Wall Street futures rose, boosted by inclines in megacap

stocks as hopes of a rate cut gained momentum amid earnings

updates from big technology firms Apple ( AAPL ), Microsoft ( MSFT )

, Amazon.com ( AMZN ) and Meta Platforms ( META ) later

in the week.

Meanwhile, progress has been made suppressing fires in the

Canadian tourist town of Jasper, with the remaining ones

expected to be put out by the end of the day, authorities said

on Saturday.

COMMODITIES AT 6:20 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2390.6; +0.4%

US crude: $77.14; flat

Brent crude: $81.16; flat

($1= C$1.3831)