* The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index ended down 16.39 points, or 0.11 percent, at 15,164.37, its lowest close since Feb. 9.

* The index had dipped below the 15,000 threshold earlier in the session.

* The recovery from session lows came as Wall Street's three major indexes staged a comeback to close around 1 percent higher. Investors turned their focus to earnings and away from a trade conflict between the United States and China that wreaked havoc in earlier trading.

* Financials on the TSX fell 0.4 percent, while the materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.8 percent.

* Crop nutrient producer Nutrien Ltd retreated 1.6 percent to C$57.70.

* Six of the TSX's 10 main groups ended lower. The index posted two new 52-week highs and 15 new lows.

* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Element Fleet Management Corp, which rose 4.3 percent, while the largest decliner was Prometic Life Sciences, down 6.9 percent.

* Weed stocks were among the most active Canadian stocks by volume, including Aurora Cannabis, which fell 5.6 percent to $7.62.

(Reporting by Fergal Smith; Editing by Peter Cooney)