(Updates at market close)

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TSX ends up 1.4% at 30,827.58

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Eclipses October 15 record closing high

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Materials group gains 3.4% as gold climbs

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Loblaw ( LBLCF ) advances 3.7% after earnings beat

By Fergal Smith

Nov 12 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose to a

record high on Wednesday, led by metal miners and food retailer

Loblaw ( LBLCF ), as the recent strength of corporate earnings

bolstered investor sentiment.

The S&P/TSX composite index ended up 418.33

points, or 1.4%, at 30,827.58, eclipsing the previous record

closing high it posted on October 15.

"There certainly seems to have been a key change in

sentiment in the last few weeks for the better, and when you

combine that with seasonal strength that has helped the TSX to

power on to new highs," said Elvis Picardo, a portfolio manager

at Luft Financial, iA Private Wealth.

The index has rebounded 4.4% since hitting a seven-week

intraday low on Friday.

"Q3 earnings have been pretty robust, and that earnings

strength is predicted to continue to next year," Picardo said.

"The jobs numbers that came out on Friday, they lent some

credence to the view that the worst is over for the Canadian

economy."

Canada's economy added far more jobs than expected for a second

straight month in October, and the unemployment rate fell to

6.9% from 7.1%, data on Friday showed.

The materials group, which includes metal mining

shares, rose 3.4% as gold prices climbed. Gold was up 1.7% as

U.S. Treasury yields slipped ahead of a House of Representatives

vote to reopen the U.S. government.

Shares of Loblaw Companies ( LBLCF ) advanced 3.7% as the retailer beat

third-quarter profit estimates and raised its annual profit

forecast.

The consumer staples sector was up 2.5%. Heavily

weighted financials ended 1.5% higher.

All 10 major sectors notched gains, including energy

. It ended up 0.1% even as the price of oil

settled 4.2% lower at $58.49 a barrel.

Baytex Energy ( BTE ) shares jumped 13.6% after the company

announced a deal to sell its U.S. Eagle Ford assets to an

undisclosed buyer for $2.3 billion.