CANADA STOCKS-TSX ends higher for fourth straight day as commodity prices rise

By Fergal Smith

Dec 23 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose to another record high on Tuesday as resource shares notched gains, with investors taking in stride domestic data that pointed to a slowdown this quarter for the economy.

The S&P/TSX Composite Index .GSPTSE ended up 58.63 points, or 0.2%, at 32,058.73, its fourth straight day of gains and eclipsing Monday's record closing high.

Since the start of the year, the index has advanced 29.65%, led by financial and metal mining shares, putting it on track for its biggest gain since 2009.

Canada's economy shrank by a greater-than-expected 0.3% in October, the largest drop in almost three years, but is expected to stage a partial recovery in November.

"Trade-related uncertainty continues to weigh on export-oriented sectors, but conditions appear to be stabilizing rather than collapsing," Abbey Xu, an economist at Royal Bank of Canada, said in a note.

Fourth-quarter GDP is tracking at around 0.5% annualized growth following a 2.6% jump in the third quarter, Xu added.

The energy sector .SPTTEN rose 0.6% as the price of oil CLc1 settled 0.6% higher at $58.38 a barrel. Investors assessed stronger-than-expected U.S. economic growth and the risk of disruptions to oil supply from Venezuela and Russia.

The materials group .GSPTTMT, which includes the shares of fertilizer and metal mining companies, was up 0.3% as the price of gold advanced 1% to another all-time high.

Technology .SPTTTK was a drag, dipping 0.4%, and consumer discretionary .GSPTTCD ended 0.9% lower.