Oct 2 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell for the fourth straight session on Wednesday as global risk appetite was wrecked by data showing weakness in the U.S. economy in the face of a prolonged trade war with China.
* The benchmark S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE fell 0.85% to 16,307.19, hitting a 5-week low, while shares in Wall Street fell 1%, hit by signs of slowdown in factory activity in the world's largest economy. .N
* Seven of the 11 major sub-sectors were lower, with shares of cannabis producers among the worst hit. Hexo Corp HEXO.TO dropped 5%, while Canopy Growth Corp WEED.TO and Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO fell about 3%.
* Energy sector .SPTTEN dropped 0.9% as oil prices slid on the back of weak data, while materials sector .GSPTTMT held on to gains, tracking a rise in gold prices, as investors scurried to safe-haven assets. O/R GOL/
* Shares in oil and gas producer Cenovus Energy Inc CVE.TO slid 1.5% after it lowered full-year spending target. In a bright spot, shares of the Stars Group TSGI.TO jumped 34% after UK-based Flutter Entertainment FLTRE.I FLTRF.L , formerly known as Paddy Power Betfair, agreed to buy the company behind Poker Stars in a $6 billion share deal to create the world's largest online betting and gambling company by revenue. The financials sector .SPTTFS and the industrials sector .GSPTTIN fell more than 1%.
* On the TSX, 50 issues were higher, while 179 issues declined for a 3.58-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 29.67 million shares traded.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO , NextSource Materials Inc NEXT.TO and Bombardier Inc BBDb.TO .
* The TSX posted one new 52-week highs and eight new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were four new 52-week highs and 30 new lows, with total volume of 53.31 million shares.