March 7 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Thursday, led by financial and material shares, as the European Central Bank's latest monetary policy announcement kept investors on the sidelines.
* The central bank's move to delay its first post-crisis rate hike at least until 2020 and to offer banks a new round of cheap loans to help revive the euro zone economy, underlines how global trade war and other factors are taking a toll on European growth. Gold prices dropped as dollar gained versus euro after ECB's rate decision, wiping out gains for bullion driven by the darkening global economic outlook. GOL/
* The materials group .GSPTTMT declined 0.83 percent and the interest-rate sensitive financial sector .SPTTFS 0.7 percent.
* At 10:15 a.m. ET (15:15 GMT), MSCI's index of world stocks .MIWD00000PUS was down 0.95 percent and the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE 99.08 points, or 0.62 percent, at 15,992.99.
* Eight of the 11 major sectors were lower, led by a 1.89 percent decline in the consumer discretionary sector .GSPTTCD .
* Canadian dollar held near two-month lows on Thursday, a day after the Bank of Canada took a more dovish stance on the outlook for higher interest rates. Spin Master Corp TOY.TO fell 8.3 percent, the most on the TSX, after the toy maker reported fourth-quarter results, followed by a 3.5 percent drop in Peyto Exploration & Development Corp PEY.TO .
* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Element Fleet Management EFN.TO , which jumped 5.6 percent after reporting quarterly results.
* Nuvista Energy Ltd NVA.TO followed suit with a 2.3 percent gain.
* On the TSX, 91 issues were higher, while 142 declined for a 1.56-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 14.99 million shares traded.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were medical marijuana companies Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO and Supreme Cannabis Co FIRE.TO , as well as plane maker Bombardier Inc BBDb.TO .
* The TSX posted 10 new 52-week highs and three new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues, there were 30 new 52-week highs and four new lows, with total volume of 25.81 million shares.