CANADA STOCKS-TSX ends lower as war uncertainty dissuades investors from making big bets

By Fergal Smith

March 30 (Reuters) - Canada's resource-heavy main stock index edged lower on Monday, including declines for technology shares, as a widening of the Iran war and the approach of month-end deterred investors from making any big moves.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index .GSPTSE ended down 25.71 points, or 0.1%, at 31,934.94. The index has fallen 7% since the start of March, putting it on track for its first monthly decline in 11 months and its biggest since June 2022.

"We are wrapping up a tricky quarter and an uglier month, and I think people just want to get through this right now and see what the spring will bring," said Greg Taylor, chief investment officer at PenderFund Capital Management. "There is so much macro uncertainty right now I don't think anyone has any conviction to make big bets right now either way."

U.S. stocks also fell, with investors focused on how oil prices will impact the global economy after they shot up since the start of the war.

Technology was the biggest drag on the Toronto market, losing 1.4%.

The materials group .GSPTTMT, which includes metal mining shares, ended 0.3% lower. The price of gold rose but was headed for a sharp monthly decline.

Energy .SPTTEN fell 0.5% even as the price of oil CLc1 settled 3.25% higher at $102.88 a barrel.

Air Canada AC.TO CEO Michael Rousseau will retire by October, the airline said, after he sparked a backlash for failing to offer condolences in French, one of Canada's two official languages, over a crash that killed two pilots. Shares of Air Canada lost 2.2%.

Among the sectors that notched gains was consumer discretionary. It added 0.9%, while the high-dividend paying utilities sector was up 0.6% as bond yields fell.