(Repeats to widen distribution)
* TSX up 4.5 points, or 0.03 percent, at 14,702.10
* Valeant up 2.6 pct after debt deal; Brookfield down 1.2 pct
TORONTO, Aug 18 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index seesawed on Thursday as energy stocks gained with higher oil prices and Valeant rose after it reached a debt deal, while bank and telecommunications stocks retreated.
At 10:09 a.m. EDT (1409 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 4.5 points, or 0.03 percent, at 14,702.10.
The most influential gainers included Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE:VRX) VRX.TO , which rose 2.6 percent to C$39.50 after the company said it agreed with its creditors to amend loan terms. heavyweight energy group climbed 0.8 percent, with Suncor Energy Inc SU.TO up 0.7 percent to C$36.59, as Brent crude hit a six-week high above $50 a barrel. O/R
Brookfield Asset Management BAMa.TO declined 1.2 percent to C$44.12. A source told Reuters on Wednesday that the company plans to buy a majority stake in a water and sewage company to add to its holdings which include property, infrastructure, renewable energy and construction investments.
The financials group slipped 0.3 percent, while the materials group, which includes precious and base metals miners as well as fertilizer companies, added 0.2 percent.
First Quantum Minerals Ltd FM.TO advanced 2.5 percent to C$12.25. The miner is conducting due diligence on a copper mine in Zambia, the mine's owner said.
Copper prices CMCU3 advanced 0.9 percent to $4,814 a tonne. MET/L
Telecom stocks also weighed, with BCE Inc BCE.TO off 0.7 percent at C$61.75 and Telus Corp T.TO down 0.6 percent at C$42.85.
Foreign investors scooped up Canadian securities for the sixth month in a row in June, driven by the largest purchase of Canadian equities since April 2004, data from Statistics Canada showed on Thursday.