March 26 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index advanced on Tuesday, led by sharp gains in energy stocks as oil prices rose above $68 a barrel on OPEC supply cuts and expectations of lower U.S. inventories.
* At 9:38 a.m. ET (1338 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 97.58 points, or 0.61 percent, at 16,163.44.
* Of the 11 major TSX sectors, the energy sector's .SPTTEN 1.8 percent climb was the steepest.
* U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 2.1 percent a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 added 1.3 percent. O/R
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.5 percent, while the industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 0.8 percent.
* The materials stocks .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, dipped 0.1 percent and were the only laggards on the index.
* Spot gold XAU= fell 0.4 percent to $1316.31 an ounce. GOL/ MET/L
* On the TSX, 194 issues were higher, while 42 issues declined for a 4.62-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 15.26 million shares traded.
* The biggest percentage gainers on the TSX were Baytex Energy Corp BTE.TO and Compass Group (LON:CPG) PLC CPG.TO , rising 4.7 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively.
* Ivanhoe Mines Ltd IVN.TO fell 2.2 percent, the most on the TSX. The second-biggest decliner was Yamana Gold Inc YRI.TO , down 2.2 percent.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Rexnord Corp RNX.TO , Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO and Black Knight Inc BKI.TO .
* The TSX posted 15 new 52-week highs and no new low.
* Across all Canadian issues, there were 34 new 52-week highs and one new low, with total volume of 27.45 million shares.