By Alastair Sharp and John Tilak
TORONTO, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index climbed
modestly on Tuesday as strength in its consumer discretionary
and consumer staples groups overwhelmed a decline in the energy
sector.
The Toronto Stock Exchange was closed on Monday, a public
holiday in most of Canada, when U.S. indexes slipped on weaker
oil prices.
Oil prices steadied on Tuesday, but failed to lift the
Toronto market's oil and gas sector. Among the big decliners in
the group, pipeline company TransCanada Corp TRP.TO lost 1.2
percent to C$50.22 and producer Encana Corp ECA.TO fell 3.1
percent to C$9.63.
"Sentiment for resources is very close to rock bottom," said
Elvis Picardo, strategist and vice president of research at
Global Securities in Vancouver. "There is very little appetite
for anything commodity-related."
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index
.GSPTSE closed up 22.61 points, or 0.16 percent, at 14,491.05.
Five of the 10 main sectors on the index were higher.
The index has bounced back up since breaking below 14,000 in
late July, but remains one of the worst performing global
indexes so far this year, hurt by slumping oil prices and
worries about slowing economic growth and stock market turmoil
in China.
The index's consumer discretionary sector added 1.2 percent
on Tuesday and the consumer staples group gained 2.2 percent.
Auto parts maker Magna International Inc MG.TO rose 1.7
percent to C$72.29 and convenience store operator Alimentation
Couche-Tard ATDb.TO gained 2.7 percent to C$59.93.
($1=$1.32 Canadian)
(Editing by Peter Galloway)