CANADA STOCKS-TSX climbs on energy bounce, still set for second weekly drop
March 20 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Friday, powered by energy stocks that tracked higher oil prices, as policymakers across the world poured unprecedented aid into the global economy to stop a coronavirus-driven recession.
* At 9:39 a.m. ET (1339 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 234.19 points, or 1.92%, at 12,404.71.
* The main index has fallen 9.7% this week, putting it on track to record its second straight weekly decline.
* The index has also fallen 31.7% from its record closing high in February.
* The energy sector climbed 5.3%, the most among all major sub-indexes.
* The financials sector gained 2.4%. The industrials sector rose 1.8%.
* The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.2% as gold prices jumped 3%.
* On the TSX, 193 issues were higher, while 35 issues declined for a 5.51-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 158.33 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Shawcor Ltd , which jumped 30.5% followed by shares of Hexo Corp , which rose 19.8%.
* Centerra Gold fell 5.5%, the most on the TSX, followed by shares of NovaGold Resources, down 5.5%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Canadian Natural Resources, Bombardier and Enbridge Inc.
* The TSX posted no new 52-week high and no new low.
* Across all Canadian issues there were no new 52-week high and 17 new lows, with a total volume of 176.12 million shares. (Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak Dasgupta)
