Oct 17(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose slightly on Friday, helped by energy stocks, but China's slowest growth in nearly three decades exacerbated concerns about global growth and capped gains.
* At 9:42 a.m. ET (13:42 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 30.07 points, or 0.18%, at 16,456.37.
* Six of the index's 11 major sectors were up.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 0.5%, helped by shares of Enerflex Ltd EFX.TO , which jumped 5.2%.
* Oil prices were steady as concerns about slower growth in China were countered by bullish signals from both the Chinese and U.S. refining sectors. O/R
* U.S. crude CLc1 prices: WTI crude futures were up 0.7% a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 remained unchanged.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.2% while the industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 0.3%.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.8%
* Gold futures GCc1 fell 0.2% to $1,489.1 an ounce. GOL/ MET/L
* On the TSX, 141 issues were higher, while 86 issues declined for a 1.64-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 16.41 million shares traded.
* Another large percentage gainer on the TSX was Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO , which rose 4.5%.
* Gildan Activewear Inc GIL.TO fell 26.2%, the most on the TSX, after the company lowered its full-year profit forecast. The second-biggest fall was in Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO , down 2.5%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Aurora Cannabis, Royal Bank of Canada RY.TO and Gildan Activewear.
* The TSX posted two new 52-week highs and four new low.
* Across all Canadian issues there were five new 52-week highs and six new lows, with total volume of 24.81 million shares.