(Adds details on energy sector, updates prices)
* TSX down 18.22 points, or 0.13 percent, to 13,769.99
* Seven of the TSX's 10 main groups fall
TORONTO, May 12 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell
slightly on Thursday as losses for some heavyweight financial
and mining names dragged, while energy stocks gained with higher
U.S. oil prices and as oil sands employees prepared to return to
work after a wildfire.
At 10:44 a.m. EDT (1444 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's
S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 18.22 points, or 0.13
percent, to 13,769.99. It touched a 10-day high earlier in the
session.
Enbridge Inc ENB.TO advanced 1.8 percent to C$51.61 as it
restarted a major pipeline and said crews were on site at its
facilities in the Fort McMurray region and confirmed its
terminals were not damaged by the wildfire.
Suncor Energy Inc SU.TO would start to fly employees back
to its oil sands base plant from Thursday, a union official
said. Its shares rose 0.7 percent to C$34.70.
Smaller energy companies saw larger gains, with Birchcliff
Energy Ltd BIR.TO rising 5.5 percent to C$5.41, and Nuvista
Energy Ltd NVA.TO , up 5.2 percent at C$6.28. The overall
energy group climbed 0.4 percent.
Crescent Point Energy Corp CPG.TO rose 5.3 percent to
C$21.43 despite reporting a bigger quarterly loss.
U.S. oil prices hit a six-month high, supported by data from
the International Energy Agency (IEA) showing tightening supply,
in addition to a surprise drop in U.S. crude inventories.
Seven of the index's 10 main groups were in negative
territory, although advancers slightly outnumbered decliners and
15 stocks hit fresh 52-week highs versus only one touching a new
52-week low.
The materials group, which includes precious and base metals
miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.4 percent. The
financials group slipped 0.1 percent.
Goldcorp Inc G.TO fell 2 percent to C$23.58 and Barrick
Gold Corp ABX.TO lost 0.9 percent to C$23.49, while Royal Bank
of Canada RY.TO slipped 0.4 percent to C$76.36.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE:VRX) VRX.TO fell 5.3
percent to C$32.05. A key figure at a major hedge fund invested
in the battered drug company is leaving the fund, its founder
said.
Quebecor Inc QBRb.TO advanced 3.9 percent to C$35.34 after
the regional cable, telecom and media company reported higher
quarterly revenue and raised its dividend.