CANADA STOCKS-TSX posts biggest gain in 6 weeks; ends quarter down 5 pct

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TORONTO, March 29 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock indexnotched its biggest gain in more than six weeks on Thursday, ledby resource and financial shares, but still suffered its deepestquarterly decline in two-and-a-half years.

* The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite indexended up 197.35 points, or 1.3 percent, at 15,367.29,its biggest advance since Feb. 12.

* For the quarter, the TSX fell 5.2 percent, its deepestslide since the third quarter of 2015.

* A report showed that Canada's economic growth unexpectedlyslowed in January in a clear sign that first-quarter growth islikely to be weaker than the Bank of Canada had predicted.

* The energy group rallied 2.4 percent, led by a 3.2 percentgain for Enbridge Inc.

* U.S. crude oil futures settled 1.1 percent higherat $70.27 a barrel, boosted by higher stock prices on WallStreet and as market participants weighed a rise in U.S. crudeinventories and production against continued supply curbs bymajor producers.

* The materials group, which includes precious and basemetals miners and fertilizer companies, also added 2.4 percent.

* Financials, which account for more than one-third of theweight of the TSX, gained 0.9 percent, while industrials rose1.2 percent as railroad shares climbed.

* The TSX posted 4 new 52-week highs and 6 new lows. Nine ofthe index's 10 main groups ended higher.

* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was First QuantumMinerals Ltd, which rose 8.5 percent, while the largestdecliner was Prometic Life Sciences Inc , down29.0 percent.

* The TSX will be closed on Friday for Good Friday.(Reporting by Fergal Smith)