March 13 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's

resources-heavy stock index were muted as investors await more

U.S. economic data this week to adjust their expectations for

the Federal Reserve's monetary policy path, though gains in

commodity prices offered some support.

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

6:45 a.m. ET (1045 GMT) on Wednesday.

Energy shares on the TSX eye another day of gains, as oil

prices rose on signs of strong global demand and hopes of U.S.

interest rate cuts in the coming months.

Mining stocks are poised to rebound as copper prices hit a

near two-year high in China after Chinese smelters sought output

cuts.

Gold steadied after posting its biggest drop in a month in

the previous session.

Investors would assess the economic data from the United

States including monthly readings of producer prices index and

retail sales, which are due later in the week, for further clues

about the health of the economy.

The datasets will follow a hot reading of the consumer price

index in the U.S. Investors, however, continue to bet on the

likelihood of a June rate cut by the Fed.

Global equities rallied after the CPI data on Tuesday, with

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

ending near a two-year high.

Traders expect the Bank of Canada to start easing its

interest rate cycle from July.

Packaging company Transcontinental beat adjusted

profit per share estimates for the first quarter on Wednesday.

Singapore Telecommunications (SingTel) is looking

to sell a stake in its wholly owned Australian unit Optus to

Canadian private equity giant Brookfield, a source with

direct knowledge of the matter said on Wednesday.

COMMODITIES AT 6:45 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2,166.3; flat

US crude: $78.68; +1.4%

Brent crude: $83.04; +1.4%