(Updates prices, adds sector details)
Feb 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Wednesday as weakness in materials stocks overshadowed upbeat earnings from National Bank of Canada and Royal Bank of Canada.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 1.3% as gold futures GCc1 fell 0.3% to $1,799 an ounce. GOL/
* Miners Dundee Precious Metals Inc DPM.TO and Centerra Gold CG.TO fell 3.9% and 3.8%, respectively, and were the top drag on the TSX.
* At 09:37 a.m. ET (14:37 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 77.04 points, or 0.42%, at 18,253.05.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.1% as Royal Bank of Canada RY.TO and National Bank of Canada NA.TO topped analysts' estimates for first-quarter profit. The energy sector .SPTTEN dropped 0.7%, even though U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 1% a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 added 1.1%. O/R
* On the TSX, 62 issues were higher, while 150 issues declined for a 2.42-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 24.02 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were printing company Transcontinental Inc TCLa.TO , which jumped 2.3%, and National Bank of Canada NA.TO , which rose 2.3%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Manulife Financial Corp MFC.TO , Suncor Energy Inc SU.TO , and Great-West Lifeco Inc GWO.TO .
* The TSX posted 12 new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 44 new 52-week highs and six new lows, with total volume of 43.98 million shares.