(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Thursday as energy stocks were hit by lower crude prices and disappointing earnings from Suncor Energy .
* Seven of the index's 11 major sectors were trading lower, led by a 2.1% slide in energy stocks (SPTTEN).
* Oil prices came under pressure from rising U.S. crude oil stocks and weak factory activity in China, with few bullish factors on the horizon.
* Suncor Energy Inc (TO:SU) slipped 3% after the second-largest Canadian oil and gas producer's reported disappointing third-quarter profits
* Pretium Resources (TO:PVG) dived 22% after the miner reported worse-than-expected quarterly results.
* At 9:44 a.m. ET (1344 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index (GSPTSE) was down 42.45 points, or 0.26%, at 16,458.98.
* The main index is set end October with losses of 1.2%, its second monthly decline for the year.
* Also weighing on sentiment was data that showed Canada's economy gained 0.1% in August, a touch less than analysts expected.
* In a bright spot, SNC-Lavalin Group Inc (TO:SNC) jumped 11%, to the top of TSX, after quarterly results beat estimates and the company named interim head Ian Edwards as its chief executive officer.
* On the TSX, 104 issues were higher, while 120 issues declined for a 1.15-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 23.95 million shares traded.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Bombardier (TO:BBDb), Encana Corp (TO:ECA) and Bank Of Montreal (TO:BMO).
* The TSX posted two new 52-week highs and seven new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were ten new 52-week highs and 20 new lows, with total volume of 38.45 million shares.