* TSX up 95 points, or 0.71 percent, to 13,487.90
* Half of the TSX's 10 main groups were higher
TORONTO, March 10 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose
on Thursday as global shares were boosted by further easing by
the European Central Bank.
Heavyweight bank stocks helped push the index higher, with
Royal Bank of Canada RY.TO advancing 1.0 percent to C$73.95
and Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO up 0.9 percent to C$62.35.
The ECB delved deep into its remaining arsenal of stimulus
options, cutting all three of its interest rates and expanding
asset-buying to boost the economy and prevent ultra-low
inflation becoming entrenched.
Gold miners joined the party even as the U.S.-dollar
denominated price of the precious metal pulled back. GOL/
Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO gained 4.2 percent to C$18.91,
while Goldcorp Inc G.TO rose 3.8 percent to C$21.65.
The most influential gainers also included First Quantum
Minerals Ltd FM.TO , which rose 13.1 percent to C$7.08 after it
agreed to sell a Finnish mine for nickel, copper, gold and
platinum for $712 million.
At 10:05 a.m. EST (1505 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's
S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 95 points, or 0.71
percent, to 13,487.90.
Half of its 10 main groups were in positive territory, with
gainers outnumbering decliners by almost 3 to 1.
The financials group gained 0.7 percent and industrials rose
0.5 percent. The materials group, which includes precious and
base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 2.6 percent.
Energy stocks were flat, holding on to recent gains despite
a pullback in the price of crude oil. O/R