nov 23 reuters  futures for canadas commodityheavy main stock index were subdued on tuesday as the positive sentiment in financials owed to prospects of higher interest rate next year was countered by a more than 1 slump in crude prices while bullion hovered near a twoweek low december futures on the sptsx index were flat at 700 am et financials which account for about 30 of the toronto markets value were poised to open stronger extending previous sessions gains on the prospects of higher interest rates next year after jerome powell was renominated as federal reserve chair oil prices fell ahead of the expected release of us crude reserves to cool the market while resurgent covid19 cases in europe also weighed on demand meanwhile gold prices held close to a more than twoweek low as the dollar jumped on bets for quicker interest rate increases after us president joe biden backed powell for a second term the toronto stock exchanges sptsx composite index gsptse ended 06 lower at 2142077 on monday posting its fourthstraight session of losses dow jones industrial average emini futures were up 004 at 700 am et while sp 500 emini futures were down 003 and nasdaq 100 emini futures were down 026 air canada acto has agreed to a 45 million settlement to resolve a us government investigation into claims thousands of air passenger refunds were delayed the transportation department said read more canada has halted exports of fresh potatoes from prince edward island pei to the united states facing a threat from washington to ban the shipments over concerns about the potato wart fungus the canadian food inspection agency said on monday read more laurentian bank of canada lbto td securities cuts target price to c47 from c48 imperial oil ltd imoto atb capital markets raises target price to c48 from c45 commodities at 700 am et reporting by amal s in bengaluru editing by vinay dwivedi