Empire Company EMPa.TO: ATB Capital Markets initiates with "outperform" rating and price target of C$44 Hudbay Minerals Inc HBM.TO: CIBC starts with "outperform" rating; price target C$10.75 Yangarra Resources Ltd YGR.TO: CIBC raises to "neutral" from "underperform" COMMODITIES AT 7:00 a.m. Dec 16 (Reuters) - Futures for Canada's main stock index rose on Wednesday, helped by gains in gold prices, while investors awaited inflation data due later in the day. Spot gold .XAU= gained 0.15%, hitting a one-week high, on hopes for further U.S. stimulus and expectations that the Federal Reserve would keep a check on interest rates.