Dec 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index treaded water on Tuesday as gains in the energy stocks were capped by weakness in materials sectors, while concerns around a fast-spreading mutant variant of coronavirus in the United Kingdom kept sentiment in check.
* At 9:44 a.m. ET (14:44 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 1.12 points, or 0.01%, at 17,502.01.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 0.3%, while the materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.4%. O/R GOL/
* The financials sector .SPTTFS slipped 0.2%. The industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 0.1%.
* On the TSX, 73 issues were higher, while 135 issues declined for a 1.85-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 12.48 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were fuel-cell products developer Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO , which jumped 7%.
* Its gains were followed by software firm Lightspeed POS Inc LSPD.TO , which rose 2.8% after brokerage Credit Suisse (SIX:CSGN) started coverage of the stock with an "outperform" rating.
* Apparel maker Canada Goose Holdings Inc GOOS.TO fell 3.9%, the most on the TSX, and the second biggest decliner was Air Canada AC.TO , down 1.5%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Bombardier Inc BBDb.TO , Avalon Advanced Materials Inc AVL.TO , and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce CM.TO .
* The TSX posted five new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 42 new 52-week highs and one new low, with total volume of 33.52 million shares.