Aug 25 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index shed early gains to trade flat on Tuesday as gold stocks slipped on hopes surrounding a potential COVID-19 vaccine and positive U.S.-China trade front.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 0.7% as U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 1.9% a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 added 1.8%. O/R
* While the materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.9% as gold futures GCc1 fell 0.5% to $1,918.7 an ounce. GOL/
* At 0940 a.m. ET (1340 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was down 3.85 points, or 0.02%, at 16,622.79.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.5%, while the industrials sector .GSPTTIN fell 0.2%.
* On the TSX, 82 issues were higher, while 132 issues declined for a 1.61-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 11.12 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Bank of Montreal BMO.TO , which jumped 4.5% after the lender posted upbeat third-quarter numbers.
* Its gains were followed by oil producer Crescent Point Energy Corp CPG.TO , which rose 3.3%.
* The fuel-cell products developer Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO fell 4%, the most on the TSX, and the second-biggest decliner was Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc AUP.TO , down 3.1%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Bombardier Inc BBDb.TO , D-BOX Technologies Inc DBO.TO , and Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd NDM.TO .
* The TSX posted one new 52-week highs and no fresh lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 19 new 52-week highs and three new lows, with total volume of 26.07 million shares.