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TSX ends down 0.6% at 27,761.27

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Touches an intraday record high at 27,977.80

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Consumer discretionary paces declines

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Canadian Tire ( CDNTF ) and Restaurant Brands miss estimates

(Updates at market close)

By Fergal Smith

Aug 7 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index pulled back

on Thursday from a record high as investors assessed a mixed

picture for corporate earnings and ahead of domestic jobs that

could offer clues on how well the domestic economy is coping

with U.S. tariffs.

Toronto's S&P/TSX composite index ended down

159.60 points, or 0.6%, at 27,761.27, after earlier touching an

intraday record high at 27,977.80.

"The earnings picture has been mixed," said Michael Dehal, a

senior portfolio manager at Dehal Investment Partners at Raymond

James, pointing to misses for some financial and consumer

discretionary shares.

"There is a lot of caution due to uncertainty with the macro

(outlook) and the tariffs ... We need to have sentiment improve

both with the consumer and businesses to really fuel a better

economic picture."

Canada's employment report for July, due on Friday, is

expected to show a more moderate jobs gain of 13,500 after the

economy added 83,100 jobs in June.

The consumer discretionary sector fell 2.3%, with the shares

of Canadian Tire Corporation Ltd ( CDNTF ) and Restaurant Brands

International Inc ( QSR ) down 10.6% and 5.2% respectively

after the companies missed quarterly profit estimates.

Manulife Financial ( MFC ) shares lost 3.9%. The insurer

also reported quarterly earnings below analysts' estimates,

largely due to elevated credit and mortality losses in the

United States.

The heavily weighted financials sector was down 0.7%, while

technology ended 1.4% lower as Shopify Inc ( SHOP ) gave back

some of the previous day's blockbuster gains.

Canadian Natural Resources Ltd ( CNQ ) surpassed

expectations for second-quarter profit. Still, its shares

declined 3%, weighing on the energy group, which ended 0.9%

lower.

The price of oil oil settled down 0.7% at $63.88 a

barrel as expectations rose for a diplomatic end to the war in

Ukraine.

Just two of 10 major sectors ended higher, including

materials. Materials, which includes metal mining shares, added

0.7% as the price of gold benefited from speculation that

the Federal Reserve will cut interest rates next month.