(Updates throughout with commentary, details, market reaction)
* TSX down 18.84 points, or 0.14 percent, to 13,472.25
* Eight of the TSX's 10 main groups fall
By Solarina Ho
TORONTO, Sept 23 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell
modestly on Wednesday, following hefty losses in the previous
session, but many investors shrugged off the latest
disappointing economic data out of China and mostly kept to the
sidelines.
At 11:22 a.m. EDT (1522 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's
S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE fell 18.84 points, or 0.14
percent, to 13,472.25, reversing gains from earlier in the
session.
Of the index's 10 main groups, eight were in negative
territory. Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the
TSX by 147 to 88, for a 1.67-to-1 ratio on the downside.
"You would hope for a bit better snap back, but there's
nothing on the growth front, so that's the big vexing question
right now: where's the growth and when's it going to come?" said
John Stephenson, President & CEO at Stephenson & Company Capital
Management, noting that volumes were soft as well.
"Until we see an indication that (global growth) is getting
much worse, which would not be good for markets, or we see it
getting much better, I think we're essential range bound."
Data showed China's manufacturing sector in September saw
the biggest contraction since the global financial crisis,
intensifying some fears that a slowdown in the world's
second-largest economy could spread. ID:nL4N11R3E2
Domestically, Canadian retail sales rose for the third month
in a row in July, up 0.5 percent, fueled by new car and clothing
sales. While the rise was in line with what was expected from
economists polled by Reuters, sales were flat and below
expectations when automotive figures were excluded. Volumes were
also weaker than the headline, while figures from the previous
month were revised lower. ECONCA ID:nL1N11T0HW
Financials were among the biggest drags on the index.
Toronto-Dominion Bank TD.TO declined 0.9 percent to C$51.05
while Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO dipped 1.01 percent to
C$57.54.
Transcanada Corp TRP.TO fell 0.8 to C$44.56, while
Crescent Point Energy Co CPG.TO gave back 2.8 percent to trade
at C$16.49. The overall energy group fell just over 0.6 percent.
Fertilizer producers Potash Corp POT.TO was down 1.9
percent at C$28.78, while Agrium Inc AGU.TO fell 2.1 percent
to 123.67. The materials sector, home to resource firms, slipped
some 0.6 percent.
Stephenson said investors were also waiting for earnings
season to begin, and that October to April is typically a better
period, seasonally.
"There's a listlessness out there, truthfully. There's
really no identifiable catalyst, positively or negatively out
there on the horizon," he said.