Updates with market opening prices

By Ragini Mathur

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index dipped on Friday in choppy trading as investors evaluated domestic jobs data, which hit the expectations of the Bank of Canada cutting interest rates in March.

The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 0.1% at 25,500.93.

The benchmark index was largely flat for the week, with U.S. tariff uncertainty and mixed earnings from major Canadian companies weighing on the overall market sentiment.

Canada's unemployment rate unexpectedly fell and the economy posted another solid month of job gains, data showed, signaling that joblessness was starting to ease.

Following the release of the data, bets for a 25-basis-point rate cut by the Canadian central bank in March decreased to 54.7% from the earlier 72%. 0#BOCWATCH

"What's a good sign for the economy is the private sector jobs are growing that also means potentially the Bank of Canada might not have to cut interest rates as much as expected," said Colin Cieszynski, chief market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.

"So, based on that, we're seeing a little bit of a pullback today in the Canadian market."

Meanwhile, U.S. job growth slowed more than expected in January, but a 4% unemployment rate probably gives the Federal Reserve cover to hold off cutting interest rates at least until June.

On the TSX, communication .GSPTTTS shares lost as much as 1.3%. BCE Inc BCE.TO was down 4.1%.

The healthcare sector .GSPTTHC slipped about 1%.

The fall came as shares of cannabis firm Canopy Growth WEED.TO sank 19.2% after posting a bigger third-quarter loss, triggering pot stocks Cronos Group CRON.TO and Tilray Brands TLRY.TO to tumble more than 3% and 4%, respectively.

On the flip side, the energy sector .SPTTEN was among the top winners on the index with a rise of 1%, boosted by higher crude prices.

(Reporting by Ragini Mathur in Bengaluru; Editing by Shreya Biswas)

((Ragini.Mathur@thomsonreuters.com;))