CANADA STOCKS-TSX steady after selloff, energy shares climb

    * TSX falls 7.50 points, or 0.06 percent, to 13,470.70 
    * Five of the 10 main index sectors decline 
    * WestJet climbs after quarterly report 
 
    By John Tilak 
    TORONTO, Feb 4 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index was 
little changed on Tuesday after a major selloff the previous 
session as higher U.S. crude oil prices lifted shares of energy 
producers, while a drop in the bullion price weighed on gold 
miners. 
    Sluggish economic data from the United States and China had 
darkened the market's mood on Monday, when the Toronto Stock 
Exchange's benchmark index fell more than 200 points and hit a 
one-month low. 
    Global markets have been jittery of late with sentiment hit 
by concerns about some emerging-market currencies and economies 
and by the U.S. Federal Reserve's scaling back of its stimulus 
program. 
    Volatility in the Argentine peso and the Turkish lira and 
signs of a slowdown in China have made investors wary of riskier 
assets. 
    "It's been a risk-off trade in the last week or so because 
of the herd instinct," said Anil Tahiliani, portfolio manager, 
North American equities, at McLean & Partners Wealth Management. 
    "The higher beta stocks have been getting hit the most, so 
we're using this as an opportunity to buy some of these 
high-quality companies that have been oversold." 
    Tahiliani said that the Canadian energy sector in particular 
was starting to look attractive. 
    The Toronto stock market's S&P/TSX composite index    
was down 7.50 points, or 0.06 percent, at 13,470.70. Five of the 
10 main sectors on the index were in the red. 
    Energy shares rose 0.6 percent, with U.S. crude oil < CLc1> 
gaining 0.9 percent. In the group, Canadian Natural Resources 
Ltd    climbed 1 percent to C$36.51, and Encana Corp 
jumped 2.8 percent to C$20.15. 
    The materials sector, which includes mining stocks, was hurt 
by declines in gold-mining shares. Barrick Gold Corp    
fell 1.2 percent to C$21.16, and Goldcorp Inc    shed 1.2 
percent to C$27.14. 
    In corporate news, WestJet Airlines Ltd    reported an 
11 percent rise in fourth-quarter profit and raised its 
dividend. The stock was up 1.4 percent at C$25.20.   
   
    ($1=$1.11 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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