March 27 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index treaded water on Wednesday, as worries of global economic slowdown curbed investor appetite for risk.
* At 9:39 a.m. ET (13:39 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 9.93 points, or 0.06 percent, at 16,165.09.
* In economic news, Canada's trade deficit shrank slightly to C$4.25 billion ($3.17 billion) in January, the second highest on record, as low crude prices continued to eat into the value of exports, Statistics Canada said. Seven of the index's 11 major sectors were higher.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS , which accounts for a third of the main index's weight, slipped 0.1 percent while the industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 0.3 percent.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN was trading flat. U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 0.2 percent a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 added 0.4 percent. O/R
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, as safe-haven buying supported gold prices. GOL/ MET/L
* On the TSX, 160 issues were higher, while 72 issues declined for a 2.22-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 13.43 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Brookfield Property Partners L.P. BPY_u.TO which jumped 3.4 percent and Iamgold Corp IMG.TO , which rose 2.2 percent.
* Cronos Group Inc CRON.TO fell 4.5 percent, the most on the TSX, after Canaccord Genuity downgraded the cannabis company's stock to "sell".
* The second biggest decliner was Meg Energy Corp MEG.TO , down 2 percent.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Argex Titanium Inc RGX.TO , Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO and Hexo Corp HEXO.TO .
* The TSX posted eight new 52-week highs and no new low.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 35 new 52-week highs and three new lows, with total volume of 23.99 million shares.