Feb 28 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index

fell on Friday as investors avoided big bets ahead of crucial

domestic and U.S. economic data.

March futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.1%

at 6.48 a.m. ET (1148 GMT).

Global markets await the U.S. Personal Consumption

Expenditure (PCE) data, due later in the day, for insights into

the monetary policy of the world's largest economy.

Canada's fourth-quarter gross domestic product report is

also due at 8:30 a.m. ET.

The data will be crucial in assessing the country's economic

health amid the pressure of looming U.S. tariffs.

Market sentiment was tested on Thursday after U.S. President

Donald Trump said 25% duties on imports from Canada and Mexico

will commence on March 4. The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX

composite index hit a near-six-week low on Thursday.

The index is set to lose over 1% in February, following

January's over 3% gain.

In commodities, gold prices dropped on Friday,

putting it on course for its first weekly loss in nine as the

U.S. dollar strengthened.

Oil prices fell 1% and were headed for their

first monthly drop since November, as markets braced for

Washington's tariff threats and Iraq's decision to resume oil

exports from the Kurdistan region.

In corporate news, Laurentian Bank reported

first-quarter profit above analysts' estimates.

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