(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged higher on Friday as financial stocks gained after a strong domestic jobs data cemented expectations of fourth interest rate hike of the year next week.
* At 10:16 a.m. ET (14:16 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 20.57 points, or 0.13 percent, at 16,287.18.
* Latest data showed Canadian economy added 31,800 jobs in June, while a Reuters poll predicted an increase of 24,000 positions, cementing expectations the Bank of Canada will raise interest rates next week. Another report showed the country's trade deficit grew on a sharp rise in imports of airlines and gasoline. Eight of the index's 11 major sectors were higher, led by 0.2 percent gain in the heavyweight financials sector .SPTTFS .
* Brookfield Asset Management 's BAMa.TO 1.1 pct rise and nearly 0.2 percent increase in shares of Bank of Montreal BMO.TO and Bank of Nova Scotia BNS.TO helped the financial index the most.
* Also supporting the market was the telecoms sector .GSPTTTS , which gained 0.67 percent. BCE Inc BCE.TO and Rogers Communications RCIb.TO were the biggest boost to the sector.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 0.2 percent. U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 0.5 percent a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 lost 0.6 percent. O/R
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.2 percent as gold futures GCc1 fell 0.2 percent to $1,254.4 an ounce, while copper prices CMCU3 declined 1.1 percent to $6,275.5 a tonne. GOL/ MET/L 25.55
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Transcontinental Inc TCLa.TO , which jumped 3.2 percent and Cogeco Communications CCA.TO , which rose 3 percent after National Bank of Canada upgraded the stock to "outperform".
* Centerra Gold CG.TO fell 3.8 percent, the most on the TSX, while the second biggest decliner was Enerflex EFX.TO , down 2.5 percent.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO , Bombardier B BBDb.TO , and Canopy Growth Co WEED.TO .
* On the TSX, 130 issues were higher, while 104 issues declined for a 1.25-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 20.06 million shares traded.
* The TSX posted seven new 52-week highs and five new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were thirteen new 52-week highs and nine new lows, with total volume of 39.52 million shares.