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TSX falls 1.4%, its biggest loss since Dec. 18

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Posts lowest closing level since Jan. 17

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Materials group falls 3.1% as metal prices slide

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Tech sector ends 3.2% lower

(Updates at market close)

By Fergal Smith

Feb 21 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell to a

five-week low on Friday, weighed by declines for energy, metal

mining and high-flying technology shares, as commodity prices

declined and investors grew more risk averse.

The S&P/TSX composite index ended down 367.05

points, or 1.4%, at 25,147.03, its lowest closing level since

Jan. 17 and its biggest decline since Dec. 18.

For the week, the index was down 1.3%.

Wall Street's main indexes also tumbled, closing the door on

a holiday-shortened week fraught with new tariff threats and

worries of softening consumer demand.

"People have gone from looking for reasons to buy to looking

for reasons to sell," said Colin Cieszynski, chief market

strategist at SIA Wealth Management.

"All your cyclicals, all your high-momentum, high-beta,

high-volatility stocks are getting hammered."

The Toronto market's technology sector fell 3.2%, with

e-commerce company Shopify Inc ( SHOP ) shares down nearly 6%.

The materials group, which includes fertilizer companies and

metal mining shares, lost 3.1% as gold eased from a

record high and copper prices fell.

Shares of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd ( IVPAF ) were down 11.3% after

UBS cut its target price on the stock.

The price of oil settled 2.9% lower at $70.40 a barrel,

which weighed on energy. The sector was down 2%.

Defensive stocks, such as utilities and telecommunications,

benefited from lower bond yields. The communication services

index was up 1.1%.

Another standout was Storagevault. Its shares

climbed 7.2% after the storage company beat full-year revenue

estimates.