CANADA STOCKS-TSX rises as jobs help offset mining retreat

    By Solarina Ho 
    TORONTO, March 7 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index rose 
on Friday following better-than-expected U.S. jobs data, with 
gains in energy stocks offsetting a decline in mining. 
    U.S. jobs growth picked up sharply in February despite an 
unusually cold winter, with 175,000 new jobs created, compared 
with a loss of 7,000 in Canada. Sentiment in Canada is often 
influenced by news out of the United States, the country's 
largest trading partner.      
    "The U.S. jobs number was the big positive driver for the 
markets today. I think there was enough there to even offset the 
job losses in Canada. So yeah, it's been a good day that way," 
said Brian Pow, vice president, research and equity analyst at 
Acumen Capital Partners in Calgary. 
    The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index 
   closed 27.16 points, or 0.2 percent higher, to end the 
session at 14,299.08. Nine of the 10 main groups were in 
positive territory. 
    The index, which rose in four of the last five sessions, 
gained close to 0.7 percent on the week. It has gained 6 percent 
since it last troughed at the beginning of February. 
    Energy stocks were helped by stronger crude prices, which 
rose to $108 a barrel on supply concerns from the crisis in 
Ukraine and the U.S. jobs number.  O/R  
    Canadian Natural Resources    was up 1.9 percent at 
C$41.59, while Suncor Energy Inc    rose 1.1 percent to 
C$36.91. The overall group climbed nearly 1 percent. 
    The heavily weighted financial group was up a modest 0.1 
percent. 
    "Our index has the barbell between financials and resources 
that makes our markets somewhat less volatile, in terms of 
what's going on," said Paul Hand, managing director at RBC 
Capital Markets. 
    The materials group, comprised of mining stocks, capped some 
of the positive gains, with a 1.7 percent retreat, as gold and 
copper prices fell. 
    Goldcorp Inc    was off 1.7 percent at C$29.97, while 
Barrick Gold Corp    was down 1.1 percent at C$22.08.     
Gold prices fell 1 percent as U.S. jobs data helped soothe fears 
of an abrupt slowdown in the world's biggest economy. GOL/  
     Base-metals miner First Quantum Minerals Ltd    led 
the decliners with a 5.4 percent drop to C$20.10 as copper hit a 
seven-month low on China growth worries. Teck Resources Ltd 
   also slumped 3.4 percent to C$24.40.  MET/L  
    In company news, Constellation Software Inc    was 
also one of the biggest drivers on the positive side, jumping 
12.2 percent to C$265.48. The company reported 
better-than-expected results after markets on Thursday and at 
least two analysts raise its price target on the company. 
    The overall technology group gained 1.7 percent. 
 
 (Editing by Bernadette Baum and Andrew Hay) 
 ((solarina.ho@thomsonreuters.com)(1-416-941-8067)(Reuters 
Messaging: solarina.ho.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
  
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