Canadian stock market down

TORONTO, Dec.29 (Xinhua) -- Canada's main stock index dipped Friday, the last trading day of 2017 due to fall of most energy and mining stocks pulled back,but the index notched a six percent gain for the year.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's benchmark Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index

fell 12.82 points, or 0.08 percent, to close the day at 16,209.13. Eight of the 10 main sectors were down.

The Canadian dollar slipped 0.08 cents to 0.79.5 U.S. dollar.

The energy group fell almost 13 percent this year, even as U.S. crude oil prices rose 12 percent, while materials climbed six percent and financials advanced nine percent.

Marijuana producer Aphria Inc rallied 3.9 percent on the day to 18.70 Canadian dollars. Aphria and other cannabis stocks have surged this year as Canada is heading toward legalization of recreational marijuana use in 2018.

The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, edged down 0.2 percent.

B2Gold Corp gained 2.7 percent to 3.88 Canadian dollars and Detour Gold Corp rose 2.3 percent to 14.78 Canadian dollars.

Hudbay Minerals Inc lost 1.9 percent to 11.13 Canadian dollars, First Quantum Minerals Ltd fell 1.7 percent to 17.61 Canadian dollars, and Teck Resources declined 1.7 percent to 32.87 Canadian dollars .

The energy sector lost 0.2 percent while financials were flat overall and bank gains were offset by insurer losses. Enditem