July 13 (Reuters) - Futures tracking Canada's blue-chip

stocks edged higher on Monday as oil prices advanced after fresh

military exchanges between the U.S. and Iran renewed worries

over crude shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

September futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.1%

at 6:12 a.m. ET (1012 GMT).

* U.S. and Iranian forces exchanged heavy missile and drone

attacks over the weekend and into Monday, with Tehran striking

U.S. facilities across the Gulf and saying it had again closed

the Strait of Hormuz.

* Oil prices rose above 2%.

* Spot gold and silver slipped 1.2% and 2.3%,

respectively, as inflationary concerns bolstered expectations

that the U.S. Federal Reserve will keep interest rates higher

for longer.

* Meanwhile, the Bank of Canada is expected to keep its key

policy rate unchanged at 2.25% on Wednesday, as signs of easing

underlying price pressures give policymakers little reason to

raise borrowing costs, while a rebound in economic growth after

a technical recession reduces the need for any stimulus.

* Canada's resource-heavy benchmark index rose to

its highest level in more than three weeks on Friday as

investors cheered Aritzia's earnings report and after domestic

data showed the economy adding more jobs than expected last

month.

* In other news, Turkey said it would join the Canada-led

Defence, Security and Resilience Bank as a founding member, a

move aimed at helping allied nations access up to £ £100 billion

($134 billion) in low-cost defence financing.

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