Jan 7 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Thursday, boosted by cannabis stocks and hopes for an extended U.S. stimulus package to aid economic recovery after Democrats took control of the Senate.
* The healthcare sector .GSPTTHC rose 4%, providing the biggest boost to the index.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 1.5% as U.S. crude CLc1 prices were unchanged a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 lost 0.1%. O/R
* Hours after hundreds of President Donald Trump's supporters stormed the U.S. Capitol in a harrowing assault on American democracy, a shaken Congress on Thursday formally certified Democrat Joe Biden's election victory. Canada's exports rose in November, while imports edged down, with the country's trade deficit with the world narrowing slightly more than expected, data from Statistics Canada showed on Thursday. At 9:41 a.m. ET (14:41 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 129.91 points, or 0.73%, at 17,958.02.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.4%. The industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 1.1%.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.3% as gold futures GCc1 rose 0.5% to $1,916 an ounce. GOL/
* On the TSX, 149 issues were higher, while 66 issues declined for a 2.26-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 19.95 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO , which jumped 11.9%, trading at highest since May 2002 and Aphria Inc APHA.TO , which rose 8.5%.
* New Gold Inc NGD.TO fell 2.7%, the most on the TSX. The second biggest decliner was Pretium Resourcs PVG.TO , down 2.0%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Nevada Copper Corp NCU.TO , Zenabis Global Inc ZENA.TO and St. Augustine Gold and Copper Ltd SAU.TO .
* The TSX posted 17 new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 102 new 52-week highs and 4 new lows, with total volume of 46.19 million shares.