(Adds portfolio manager comment, updates prices to close)
* TSX ends down 64.27 points, or 0.42 percent, at 15,399.24
* Eight of the TSX's 10 main groups move lower
* Index slips 0.1 percent in February, after hitting record high
By Alastair Sharp
TORONTO, Feb 28 (Reuters) - Canada's benchmark stock index fell on Tuesday, its fifth straight losing session, as Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO led losses in the heavyweight financial banking sector after reporting quarterly earnings in line with expectations.
Scotiabank shares fell 2.8 percent to C$77.04, while rival Bank of Montreal BMO.TO rose 2.2 percent to C$100.79 after its numbers smashed past analyst estimates and it announced a major share buyback plan. financials group, which accounts for 35 percent of the index's weight, fell 0.7 percent overall.
"The short of it is, the banks have done really well, they're now delivering on the earnings ... now how do you follow that when you're already trading at a historical premium valuation?" said Luciano Orengo, a portfolio manager at Manulife Asset Management.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE settled down 64.27 points, or 0.42 percent, at 15,399.24.
It slipped 0.1 percent in February, after hitting a record high mid-month.
Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE:VRX) VRX.TO slumped 13.9 percent to C$18.89 after saying that 2017 would be another year of transition with revenue falling as much as 8 percent amid drug price pressure and fewer prescriptions. you're buying Valeant at these levels, you're expecting some sort of upside and that was not delivered," Orengo said.
Gold miners lost some of their early luster in afternoon trade along with bullion prices ahead of U.S. President Donald Trump's policy speech to a joint session of Congress at 9 p.m. EST (0200 GMT Wednesday). GOL/
Gold royalty and stream company Franco-Nevada Corp FNV.TO rose 1.9 percent to C$85.61 and Tahoe Resources Inc THO.TO advanced 5.7 percent to C$11.26.
The materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.3 percent.
Utilities eked out a 0.1 percent gain, while the other eight of 10 main groups ended in negative territory.
The energy group retreated 0.3 percent, as oil prices dipped within a tight recent range as increasing crude production from the United States offset OPEC-led output cuts. O/R
Pipeline company Enbridge Inc ENB.TO fell 0.8 percent to C$55.90 and Cenovus Energy Inc CVE.TO lost 2.2 percent to C$16.80.
TransCanada Corp TRP.TO bucked the trend, with the pipeline company adding 0.9 percent to C$61.06 after agreeing on Monday to sell two U.S. pipelines to fund other projects. producer prices rose for the fifth month in a row in January, increasing 0.4 percent from December on higher prices for energy and petroleum products, Statistics Canada said.