* TSX ends down 2.3% at 34,413.45
* Posts biggest decline since February 12
* Materials group tumbles 8.3% as gold falls
* Canada's economy adds 87,800 jobs in May
(Updates at market close)
By Fergal Smith
June 5 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index posted on
Friday its biggest decline in nearly four months as commodity
prices fell and investors raised bets on Federal Reserve
interest rate hikes, with technology and metal mining shares
leading the move lower.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index
ended down 803.61 points, or 2.3%, at 34,413.45,
pulling back from a record closing high on Thursday and marking
its biggest decline since February 12. For the week, the index
was down 1%.
* Wall Street's major indices also posted steep losses as
red-hot technology stocks suffered their largest daily decline
this year after a stronger-than-expected May jobs report fueled
fears of a hawkish policy pivot from the U.S. Federal Reserve.
* Canada's employment report also beat expectations. The
economy added 87,800 jobs last month, wiping out much of the
declines posted since the start of the year.
* "Canada's job market came roaring back to life in May,"
Derek Holt, head of capital markets economics at Scotiabank,
said in a note.
* "This is the jobs report that the Bank of Canada has been
dreaming about as they will heave a big sigh of relief to see
further signs of a Q2 rebound in the works," Holt said.
* The Bank of Canada will hold its key overnight rate at
2.25% on June 10 and for the rest of the year, according to a
majority of economists polled by Reuters, despite rising
inflation risks stemming from higher energy prices.
* The materials group, which includes metal
mining shares, tumbled 8.3% as gold and copper
prices fell.
* Gold lost 3.2%, copper was down 4%, while the price of oil
settled 2.7% lower at $90.54 a barrel on mounting hopes
for de-escalation in the Middle East conflict.
* Energy was down 4.1%, with shares of TerraVest
Industries Inc ( TRRVF ) down 31.6%. Technology ended
4.4% lower.
* Helping to cap the TSX's losses, the consumer staples
sector rose 2.8%.