(Adds details and updates prices; No Canadian markets report on Dec. 25 due to Christmas holiday)
Dec 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Thursday in a shortened trading session, driven by weakness in both energy and materials stocks, while hopes for a bigger coronavirus economic relief package in United States limited losses.
* At 09:41 a.m. ET (14:41 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 19.21 points, or 0.11%, at 17,574.36.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN dropped 1.2% on falling crude prices, while adding to the downbeat mood, the materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.8%. O/R GOL/
* Locally, the value of Canadian building permits rose by 12.9% in November from October, easily beating analyst estimates of a 3.0% gain, Statistics Canada data showed
* Fuel-cell products developer Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO fell 4.1%, the most on the TSX, and the second biggest decliner was pot producer Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO , down 2.9%.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS slipped 0.2%. The industrials sector .GSPTTIN fell 0.2%.
* On the TSX, 61 issues were higher, while 150 issues declined for a 2.46-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 13.46 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were TransAlta Corp TA.TO , and its majority owned subsidiary TransAlta Renewables Inc RNW.TO , which jumped 6.6% and 4.4% respectively after the power firm said it is selling power transmission assets in Canada and the U.S. for $439 million to its renewable energy subsidiary.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Power Corporation of Canada POW.TO , Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CM.TO , and TC Energy Corp TRP.TO .
* The TSX posted three new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 15 new 52-week highs and no new lows, with total volume of 26.71 million shares.