CANADA STOCKS-TSX slips as Ukraine fears escalate, ends week lower

    * TSX down 17.48 points, or 0.12 percent, at 14,227.66 
    * Six of the 10 main index sectors advance 
    * Higher oil prices lift energy shares 
 
    By John Tilak 
    TORONTO, March 14 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index 
edged lower on Friday as worries about the crisis in Ukraine and 
fears of a slowdown in economic growth in China weighed on 
investor sentiment. 
    Moscow sent more troops into Crimea on Friday and repeated 
its threat to invade other parts of Ukraine, ignoring efforts by 
the West to prevent the holding of a referendum in Crimea on 
Sunday on separating from Ukraine and joining Russia. 
   
    Jitters about the volatile situation in Ukraine and fears of 
a slowdown in the Chinese economy have gripped investors in 
recent days, with the index dropping more than 70 points on 
Thursday.  
    The benchmark index recorded its first weekly decline in six 
weeks. It is up about 4.5 percent so far in 2014, but market 
analysts are concerned about positive catalysts that could help 
drive the market even higher. 
    "We're into a quiet phase wondering where we're going to go. 
Sooner or later we'll get an idea," said Fred Ketchen, director 
of equity trading at ScotiaMcLeod. 
    "You never know how this will end up," he said of the 
Ukraine situation. "I think it will eventually blow over, but it 
does have a negative impact on the market." 
    The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index 
   closed down 17.48 points, or 0.12 percent, at 
14,227.66. 
    Six of the 10 main sectors on the index were higher. 
    Gains in the price of oil helped lift some energy shares. In 
the group, Canadian Natural Resources Ltd    added 0.8 
percent to C$39.76, but Suncor Energy Inc    fell 0.3 
percent to C$36.24. 
    In the gold sector, Goldcorp Inc    advanced 0.6 percent 
to C$31.84, and Barrick Gold Corp    was up 0.9 percent at 
C$23.19. 
    Financials, the index's most heavily weighted sector, 
declined 0.6 percent, with Royal Bank of Canada    giving 
back 0.9 percent to C$71.17. 
    Shares of Empire Co Ltd   , which operates Sobeys, 
Canada's No. 2 grocery chain, ended down 3.3 percent at C$65.84 
after the company reported quarterly results earlier this week 
that came in far below expectations. 
    ($1=$1.11 Canadian) 
 
 (Editing by Peter Galloway and Tom Brown) 
 ((john.tilak@thomsonreuters.com)(1-416-687-7918)(Reuters 
Messaging: john.tilak.reuters.com@reuters.net)) 
  
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