(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on Friday, dragged down by the energy sector as concerns about rising coronavirus cases in the United States and China dented hopes for fuel demand recovery.
* Fears linger that a spike in COVID-19 infections in southern U.S. states could stall the demand recovery, as they are among the biggest gasoline consumers.
* The energy sector dropped 1.1% as U.S. crude prices fell 0.4% a barrel, however Brent crude added 0.2%.
* At 9:39 a.m. ET (13:39 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 69.57 points, or 0.45%, at 15,376.57.
* The financials sector slipped 1%, while the industrials sector rose 0.1%.
* The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, lost 0.3% even though gold futures rose 0.2% to $1,764.7 an ounce. [GOL/]
* On the TSX, 53 issues were higher, while 162 issues declined for a 3.06-to-1 ratio in favor of the losers, with 12.04 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was SEMAFO Inc (TO:SMF), which jumped 1.5% after Endeavour Mining Corp received clearance for its acquisition of SEMAFO.
* It was followed by BRP Inc (TO:DOO), which rose 1.5%.
* Corus Entertainment Inc (TO:CJRb) fell 8.6%, the most on the TSX, after the company missed Q3 earnings, followed by Knight Therapeutics Inc (TO:GUD), which lost 3.6% after the pharma company reported disappointing Q1 results.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Freegold Ventures Ltd (TO:FVL), down 8%; Nutrien Ltd (TO:NTR), down 0.7% and Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (TO:CM), down 1.1%.
* The TSX posted one new 52-week high and no new low.
* Across all Canadian issues, there were seven new 52-week highs and one new low, with total volume of 25.81 million shares.