(Adds details on sectors, stocks, wildfire, data, updates
prices)
* TSX down 67.6 points, or 0.49 percent, to 13,640.08
* Six of the TSX's 10 main groups fall
TORONTO, May 4 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on
Wednesday as U.S. and Canadian data added to concerns about the
growth outlook and a wildfire reduced production in the
country's oil sands region.
U.S. private sector job growth slowed in April to its
weakest in three years, while Canada's trade deficit widened in
March to a record C$3.41 billion as exports sank for a second
month on weak demand from the crucial U.S. market.
The most influential movers on the index included Bank of
Nova Scotia BNS.TO , which fell 1.1 percent to C$62.73, and
Royal Bank of Canada RY.TO which fell 0.8 percent to C$75.60.
The overall financials group fell 0.7 percent.
The energy group retreated 1 percent after a wildfire
reduced production in Canada's oil sands region. However, the
reduction helped push U.S. crude CLc1 prices up 0.7 percent to
$43.97 a barrel, tempering losses for energy stocks. O/R
The materials group, which includes precious and base metals
miners and fertilizer companies, lost 1.3 percent.
Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO fell 2.3 percent to C$22.79,
while Goldcorp Inc G.TO was down 2.4 percent at C$23.74.
Spot gold XAU= dipped 0.3 percent after cutting some
earlier losses.
At 10:55 a.m. EDT (1455 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's
S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE fell 67.6 points, or 0.49
percent, to 13,640.08. Six of the index's 10 main groups were
lower.
Shares of Maple Leaf Foods Inc MFI.TO jumped 6.6 percent
to C$27.98 after the meat processor reported a
better-than-expected quarterly profit, helped by higher earnings
in its prepared meats business.
Among other stocks that advanced, Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE:VRX)
International Inc VRX.TO rose 1.5 percent to C$46.22, while
Agrium Inc AGU.TO was up 3.4 percent at C$111.56.