Jan 9 Reuters Futures for Canada39;s main stock index were flat on Thursday as investors awaited key employment numbers from Canada and the U.S. for clues on the countries39; rate trajectories.

March futures on the SPTSX index were up 0.01 at 6.50 a.m. ET 1150 GMT.

All eyes will be on U.S. nonfarm payrolls data, due on Friday, as it is a key indicator for markets to gauge the inflation direction and policy rate path of the Federal Reserve.

The Fed signaled a more cautious pace of rate cuts at its last monetary policy meeting, and traders now expect the first trim this year in either May or June, according to the CME FedWatch Tool.

Back home, domestic employment figures, also due on Friday, will set the tone for policy easing by the Bank of Canada.

The Toronto39;s composite index ended higher on Wednesday after two straight days of declines, due to gains led by technology and metal mining shares.

A report on Wednesday said that U.S. Presidentelect Donald Trump is considering declaring a national economic emergency to provide legal justification for a series of universal tariffs on allies and adversaries.

The former president has threatened to impose 25 tariffs on imports from Canada, which sends a majority of its exports south of the border.

This comes against the backdrop of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau39;s recent announcement that he would resign in coming months.

Among commodities, gold prices hovered near a fourweek high on Thursday, supported by…