March 25 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's resources

heavy stock index slipped on Monday, tracking a dip in copper

prices, while investors exercised caution ahead of a key

inflation report out of the United States later in the week.

Futures tracking the S&P/TSX index were down 0.2%

at 7:22 a.m. ET (1122 GMT) at the beginning of a

holiday-shortened week.

Most base metals retreated against a steady dollar, while

crude oil prices rose supported by tighter global supply

concerns brought about by escalating conflicts in the Middle

East and between Russia and Ukraine, while a shrinking U.S. rig

count added to upward price pressure.

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

notched its longest weekly winning streak on Friday

since December 2020, as traders cheered the possibility of lower

rates later in the year.

On the economic data front, January gross domestic product

data (GDP) is on tap on Thursday, a day before the Good Friday

holiday.

Across the border, Dow e-minis were down 88 points,

or 0.22% at 7:22 a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-minis were

down 19.25 points, or 0.36% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were

down 116 points, or 0.62%.

U.S. February personal consumption expenditures (PCE) price

index, the Fed's preferred inflation gauge, is due on Friday,

that could stand to test investor optimism around early

rate-cuts.

Among company news, Scotiabank downgraded telecom firm Telus

Corp ( TU ) to "sector perform" from "sector outperform"

COMMODITIES AT 7:22 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2,172.1; +0.6%

US crude: $80.99; +0.5%

Brent crude: $85.77; +0.4%

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($1= C$1.359)