* TSX up 15.12 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,563.38
* Seven of 10 main index sectors advance
* SNC tumbles 8.1 percent on outlook, job cuts
* Canadian Natural jumps nearly 4 percent
By John Tilak
TORONTO, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index was
little changed on Thursday as comments from the European Central
Bank helped offset weakness in shares of SNC-Lavalin Group Inc
after the engineering and construction company cut its
profit outlook.
SNC trimmed its full-year earnings forecast and said it was
cutting its workforce by 9 percent. Its shares dropped 8.1
percent.
Investors were encouraged as the European Central Bank
indicated a willingness to unveil more stimulus measures if
needed.
The benchmark TSX, which has swung both ways in the past few
weeks, is down about 7 percent since hitting a record high in
September.
Energy shares have tumbled with commodity prices in recent
months, but they managed to shrug off a lower oil price on
Thursday.
"We're seeing a lot more dispersion in the marketplace,"
said Ben Jang, a portfolio manager who helps oversee about C$2.5
billion in assets at Nicola Wealth Management.
"The supply-demand imbalance will continue to place pressure
on oil prices," he added. "There's going to be a lot more
volatility in oil prices. There's low visibility overall."
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index
closed up 15.12 points, or 0.1 percent, at 14,563.38.
Seven of the 10 main sectors on the index were higher.
The energy sector climbed nearly 1 percent. Canadian Natural
Resources Ltd rose 3.9 percent to C$39.74 after the oil
producer said it plans to boost capital spending 11 percent next
year.
The gold-mining sector rebounded, rising 4.5 percent after a
decline in the previous session. Barrick Gold Corp
advanced 3.8 percent to C$12.97, and Goldcorp Inc jumped
4.4 percent to C$21.21.
(Editing by Lisa Von Ahn and Lisa Shumaker)