* TSX finishes down 1.61 percent at 11,053.54
* Banks headline selloff, fall for third straight session
* Kinross drops on lower output forecast
(Adds details and comments)
By Ka Yan Ng
TORONTO, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index fell
sharply on Tuesday, weighed down by shares of banks and
insurers, which dropped for a third straight session, and by
miner Kinross Gold (K.TO), which cut its production forecast.
Banking and insurance shares were the heaviest drag on the
index, with all five big banks and two big insurers among the
top decliners.
The fall was led by Royal Bank of Canada (RY.TO), which
declined 3.5 percent to C$53.70, followed by Toronto-Dominion
Bank (TD.TO), down 3.6 percent at C$62.17.
Kinross shares ended down 6.24 percent at C$20.30 after the
company lowered its full-year 2009 production outlook and
raised its estimate for average cost of sales. [ID:nN27230566]
Other gold miners joined the selloff, partly because of a
U.S. dollar bounce higher, which tends to draw attention away
from alternative investments such as gold. Goldcorp (G.TO)
shares were off 2 percent at C$40.12, and Eldorado Gold
(ELD.TO) fell 2.9 percent to C$11.84.
The energy group was unable to hold on to gains even as the
price of oil edged above $79 a barrel. Suncor (SU.TO) fell 1.6
percent to C$37.01.
"Energy, materials, financials ... are still good areas,
it's just they went up a bit too quickly," said Ian Nakamoto,
director of research at MacDougall, MacDougall & MacTier.
"We'll eventually come back but we need a bit of a respite."
The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE finished down 181.34
points, or 1.61 percent, at 11,053.54.
A disappointing U.S. consumer confidence report for October
also weighed on market sentiment. Without sufficient consumer
spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the U.S. economy,
the already fragile recovery could weaken. The Conference
Board's U.S. consumer confidence index fell to its lowest level
since July and was well below forecasts. [ID:nN27236301]
($1=$1.07 Canadian)
(Reporting by Ka Yan Ng; editing by Peter Galloway)
