*
TSX ends down 0.1%, at 20,676.74
*
Technology sector falls 0.7%
*
Energy stocks rise 1.3%; oil settles 1.1% higher
(Adds investor quotes and details on activity; updates prices)
By Fergal Smith
April 24 (Reuters) - Canadian stocks edged lower on
Monday as losses for the technology and financial sectors offset
gains for resource shares, but the index was holding near a
two-month high.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended down 16.41 points, or 0.1%, at 20,676.74, after
posting on Friday its highest closing level since Feb. 15,
preliminary data showed.
Since the start of the year, the index has advanced 6.7%.
"The market is consolidating solid year-to-date
performance," said Brandon Michael, senior investment analyst at
ABC Funds. "There remains a lot on investor minds."
Wall Street was also subdued as investors awaited earnings
this week from some major technology companies.
The Toronto market's technology sector fell 0.7%, while
heavyweight financials were down 0.6%.
Energy advanced 1.3% as oil settled 1.1% higher at $78.76 a
barrel on optimism that holiday travel in China would boost fuel
demand.
The materials sector, which includes precious and base
metals miners, added 0.2%.
Teck Resources Ltd , which is trying to fend off
an unsolicited $22.5 billion takeover offer from Glencore Plc , should remain headquartered in Canada and help the
country expand its critical minerals industry, Finance Minister
Chrystia Freeland said.
Its shares ended 1.2% lower.
(Reporting by Fergal Smith; Additional reporting by Shristi
Achar A in Bengaluru; Editing by Shilpi Majumdar and Jonathan
Oatis)
