* TSX ends up 0.8% at 35,200.45.
* Materials group gains 3.3% as gold rallies
* Financials add 1%
* Energy loses 1.3% as oil settles nearly 2% lower
(Updates at market close)
By Fergal Smith
July 9(Reuters) - Canada's commodity-linked main stock
recouped on Thursday much of the previous day's 1% decline, as
financial and metal mining shares rallied.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite index
ended up 264.65 points, or 0.8%, at 35,200.45.
Wednesday's decline was the steepest in over a month and
included a seven-month low for the materials sector.
* "It seems like investors came in, bought the dip in some
of these areas," said Allan Small, senior investment advisor of
the Allan Small Financial Group with iA Private Wealth
* The materials sector, which includes metal
mining shares, rose 3.3% as gold rallied on bargain
hunting.
* Heavily weighted financials were up 1% and
technology ended 0.5% higher.
* Investors awaited domestic jobs data on Friday and a Bank
of Canada policy decision next Wednesday.
* "All that will go a long way as to (determining) what
interest rates are doing and what our dollar is doing," Small
said.
* The Canadian dollar steadied against its U.S. counterpart
on Thursday as recent domestic data, including export numbers,
helped ease negative sentiment around the currency.
* Six of the 10 major sectors on the TSX ended lower,
including energy. It lost 1.3% as the price of oil
settled nearly 2% lower at $72.08 a barrel.
* Shares of MDA Space Ltd ( MDA ) fell 8.5% as the company
increased an equity raise to fund an acquisition.
* Richelieu Hardware Ltd ( RHUHF ) shares were down 8.9%
after the company's quarterly earnings fell short of analysts'
estimates.