December futures on the S&P/TSX index were down 0.3% at 7:01 a.m. ET (1201 GMT), mirroring declines at their U.S. peers. [.N]

Investor attention will be on a bunch of U.S. employment data this week, with the October Job openings number due later in the day.

This will be followed by November ADP National Employment figures and the more comprehensive November nonfarm payrolls report later in the week.

Focus would also be on the Bank of Canada, which is widely expected to hold its interest rate steady on Wednesday amid hopes that the central bank is likely done with interest rate hikes.

According to a poll of economists conducted by Reuters, the BoC will start cutting interest rates in the second quarter of next year.

Most base metal prices declined on Tuesday against a firmer dollar, while gold prices also lost some luster. [MET/L] [GOL/]

Crude oil prices were steady after rallying earlier in the day. [O/R]

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index posted its first decline in five sessions on Monday, weighed down by falling commodity prices.

Meanwhile, data from the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) released this morning showed Greater Toronto Area home prices fell in November as higher borrowing costs crimped affordability, while the level of sales edged higher for the first time in six months.

Among individual stocks, the National Bank of Canada raised Russel Metals stocks to "outperform" from "sector perform".

COMMODITIES AT 7:01 a.m. ET

Gold futures: $2,032.8; flat [GOL/]

US crude: $72.97; -0.1% [O/R]

Brent crude: $77.93; -0.1% [O/R]

($1= C$1.3571)

(Reporting by Shashwat Chauhan in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid)