Aug 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index advanced on Monday as energy shares rose on firmer oil prices, with signs of progress in COVID-19 treatment efforts bolstering sentiment.
* The energy sector .SPTTEN climbed 1.4% as U.S. crude CLc1 prices were up 0.4% a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 added 0.8% as storms closed in on the Gulf of Mexico, shutting more than half of the region's oil production. O/R
* U.S. President Donald Trump on Sunday hailed the Food and Drug Administration's authorization of a coronavirus treatment that uses blood plasma from recovered patients At 9:37 a.m. ET (13:37 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 82.74 points, or 0.5%, at 16,600.59.
* The financials sector .SPTTFS gained 0.8%, while the industrials sector .GSPTTIN rose 0.5%.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.2%, even as gold futures GCc1 fell 0.3% to $1,929.6 an ounce. GOL/
* On the TSX, 154 issues were higher, while 59 issues declined for a 2.61-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 8.74 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Ballard Power Systems Inc BLDP.TO , which jumped 5.3% after brokerage Bernstein started coverage of the stock with an "outperform" rating.
* Its gains were followed by Pason Systems Inc PSI.TO , which rose 3.9% after RBC assumed coverage of the oil and gas services provider with a "sector perform" rating.
* Pot producer Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO fell 2.1%, the most on the TSX, and the second-biggest decliner was Aurinia Pharmaceuticals Inc AUP.TO , down 1.4%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were NextSource Materials Inc NEXT.TO , Northern Dynasty Minerals Ltd NDM.TO and Just Energy Group Inc JE.TO .
* The TSX posted seven new 52-week highs and no new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues there were 43 new 52-week highs and eight new lows, with total volume of 25.26 million shares.