CANADA STOCKS-TSX drops on China data; gold miners dive

    * TSX falls 30.13 points, or 0.21 percent, to 14,305.63 
    * Five of the 10 main index sectors decline 
    * Gold-mining shares drop more than 2 percent 
 
    By John Tilak 
    TORONTO, March 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock fell on 
Monday as sluggish Chinese economic data raised fears of a 
slowdown in the world's second-biggest economy, while weaker 
gold-mining shares also weighed on investor sentiment. 
    Shares of gold producers fell with the price of bullion 
after the U.S. dollar advanced.  GOL/  
    The Toronto stock market's benchmark index was lower after 
recording a 0.8 percent gain the previous week. It is still up 
more than 5 percent this year. 
    A survey showed that China's manufacturing industry 
contracted in the first quarter of 2014, adding to a slew of 
recent data indicating the Chinese economy, a big buyer of 
Canadian resources, is struggling to maintain growth. 
   
    "You can't grow at 10 percent forever," said Colin 
Cieszynski, senior market analyst at CMC Markets Canada. 
    "There are some risks in China," he added. "Over the longer 
term you'd expect growth in China to moderate."  
    Cieszynski said he expects U.S. economic growth to help 
drive gains in Toronto and take the benchmark index to 15,000 by 
the end of the year.  
    The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index 
   was down 30.13 points, or 0.21 percent, at 14,305.63. 
Five of the 10 main sectors on the index were lower. 
    Gold-mining shares dropped more than 2 percent, hurt by a 
1.4 percent fall in the price of bullion. Barrick Gold Corp 
   lost 2.5 percent to C$21.21, and Goldcorp Inc    
gave back 2.4 percent to C$29.14. 
    Financials, the index's most heavily weighted sector, added 
0.3 percent. Bank of Nova Scotia    was up 0.3 percent at 
C$65.06, and Toronto-Dominion Bank    advanced 0.3 percent 
to C$51.69. 
    Shares of energy producers were up following a gain in the 
price of oil. Suncor Energy Inc    climbed 0.7 percent to 
C$36.60. 
    ($1=$1.12 Canadian) 
 
 (Editing by Peter Galloway) 
 ((john.tilak@thomsonreuters.com)(1-416-687-7918)(Reuters 
Messaging: john.tilak.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
  
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