TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index fell sharply yesterday, weighed down by shares of banks and insurers, which dropped for a third straight session, and by miner Kinross Gold, 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, which declined 3.5 percent to C$53.70, followed by Toronto-Dominion Bank , 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.

Other gold miners joined the selloff, partly because of a US dollar bounce higher, which tends to draw attention away from alternative investments such as gold. Goldcorp shares were off two percent at C$40.12, and Eldorado Gold 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 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 finished down 181.34 points, or 1.61 percent, at 11,053.54.

A disappointing US consumer confidence report for October also weighed on market sentiment. Without sufficient consumer spending, which accounts for 70 percent of the US economy, the already fragile recovery could weaken. The Conference Board's US consumer confidence index fell to its lowest level since July and was well below forecasts.