TORONTO (Reuters) - Toronto's main stock index fell yesterday, pulled lower by weakness in energy and metals producers, and weighed down by data showing a slow recovery in the United States.

Bank stocks ended mixed after an early rise spurred by a 16 percent jump in Bank of Montreal's (BMO) quarterly profit. All Big Five bank stocks topped the market's list of risers in the morning but those gains eroded as the market weighed BMO's results against US data that showed slower-than-expected growth.

"Overall I would have thought it would have had a slightly positive bias today, but from Canada's point of view, the commodities have been kind of sloppy all day," said Lex Kerkovius, senior research analyst at McLean & Partners Wealth Management Ltd, in Calgary.

"I think people are just pausing here."

The S&P/TSX composite index finished down 84.39 points, or 0.73 percent, at 11,539.63, after opening higher.

Royal Bank of Canada led all heavyweight decliners with a 1.4 percent drop to C$57.37, but Bank of Nova Scotia rose 0.24 percent to C$49.24. Bank of Montreal fell 0.8 percent to C$53.14.

Mining stocks were a key drag even as the price of gold turned higher, but base metals prices were under pressure.

Goldcorp was off 2.2 percent at C$45.84, and Barrick Gold was down 1.47 percent to C$45.57.

Oil and gas producers followed the price of crude lower, but Canadian Natural Resources bucked the trend with a 1.4 percent gain to C$71.95.

Canada's dollar fell versus the greenback yesterday, hurt by lower commodity prices, with upbeat overseas data and signs the US Federal Reserve is confident in a recovery providing some support.

A lack of risk appetite during the overnight session had dragged the domestic currency to as low as C$1.0645 to the US dollar, or 93.94 US cents, before it began a rebound.

Helping get the turnaround underway was a German business sentiment survey that came in better than expected, reaching its highest level since August 2008.

The currency also received a brief boost later in the day when minutes from the US Federal Reserve's November meeting showed officials are confident the recovery is sustainable.

It briefly rose as high as C$1.0571 to the US dollar, or 94.60 US cents.