May 24 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index

edged higher on Friday, supported by a rise in gold prices,

while investors awaited retail sales data due later in the day

for more clues on the strength of the Canadian economy.

June futures on the S&P/TSX index were up 0.2% at

6:01 a.m. ET (10:01 GMT). On a weekly basis, the benchmark

S&P/TSX index looks set for its biggest drop since mid-April.

A sell-off in materials stocks due to lower metal prices and

expectations of higher-for-longer U.S. interest rates weighed on

Canadian equities despite the benchmark index securing an

all-time high earlier in the week.

Prices of gold and silver rose on Friday, expected to lift

the materials index at open. Gold prices, however,

were on track for their biggest weekly loss in over five months.

Copper prices are also expected to weigh on the index as

worries about higher interest rates and soft physical demand in

China curbed investor appetite.

Canada's retail sales data for the month of March will be on

investor's radar at 0830 ET.

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

hit a three-week low on Thursday as commodity-linked

stocks fell.

Dow e-minis were up 49 points, or 0.13% at 6:01

a.m. ET, while S&P 500 e-minis were up 11.75 points, or

0.22% and Nasdaq 100 e-minis were up 35 points, or

0.19%.

In company news, apparel maker Gildan Activewear ( GIL )

said its board of directors resigned, and chief executive Vince

Tyra stepped down to be replaced by former top boss Glenn

Chamandy.

COMMODITIES AT 6:01 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2,340.6; +0.2%

US crude: $76.27; -0.8%

Brent crude: $80.79; -0.7%

($1= C$1.3723)