April 12 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index was higher on Thursday, helped by gains in financial stocks and a jump in Shaw Communications ' shares after the company posted a better than expected profit.
* At 9:45 a.m. ET (1345 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX Composite Index .GSPTSE was up 38.3 points, or 0.25 percent, at 15,296.2.
* Shaw Communications SJRb.TO provided the biggest boost to the index with a 10 percent rise. The telecom services company beat second-quarter profit expectations as wireless subscribers more than doubled from a year ago. The financial sector, which makes up for more than a third of the index, rose 0.4 percent.
* Tensions around Syria eased after Trump amended an earlier warning of a quick military strike against the country in retaliation for a suspected chemical weapons attack on civilians, saying it "could be very soon or not so soon at all". Wall Street opened higher on expectations of a strong corporate earnings season and easing of nerves over Syria conflict. .N
* Oil and gold prices slipped after peaking on Wednesday but geopolitical worries and trade concerns kept further losses at bay. O/R GOL/
* Spot gold XAU= slipped 0.9 percent to $1,341.26 an ounce after a four-day rally.
* Brent crude futures LCOc1 were down 47 cents at $71.59 a barrel after hitting their highest since 2014 at $73.09 on Wednesday.
* The TSX posted one new 52-week highs and two new lows. Across all Canadian issues there were two new 52-week highs and nine new lows.
* Neovasc Inc NVCN.TO , Aurora Cannabis ACB.TO and Centric Health CHH.TO were among the most active Canadian stocks by volume.
* Data showed prices of new home in Canada fell 0.2 percent in February, the first decrease since July 2010 as recent higher interest rates and tighter mortgage regulations put a damper on the market.