CANADA STOCKS-TSX touches another record high as commodity prices rise

By Nivedita Balu

June 2 (Reuters) - Canada's commodity-heavy main stock index climbed on Monday, with rising gold prices boosting materials stocks and wildfires in the country's oil-producing province threatening supply, causing energy stocks to edge higher.

The S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE closed up 213.91 points, or 0.82%, at 26,388.96, touching another record high.

The materials group .GSPTTMT gained 4.3%, tracking higher gold prices.

Oil prices climbed nearly 3% on Monday, despite producer group OPEC+ sticking with output hike plans. The energy subindex .SPTTEN rose 1.8%.

The wildfires in Alberta have affected more than 344,000 barrels per day of oil sands production, or about 7% of the country's overall crude oil output and led to the evacuation of workers at two thermal oil sands operators south of the industry hub of Fort McMurray over the weekend.

Shares of oil producers Cenovus Energy CVE.TO, Canadian Natural Resources CNQ.TO and MEG Energy MEG.TO rose between 1.2% and 2.5%.

U.S. stocks closed higher, boosted by technology stocks. Investors were still optimistic over trade talks between the United States and its partners.

"We're seeing some continuation of last week's positive momentum," said Angelo Kourkafas, a senior global investment strategist at Edward Jones.

"The technology results (in the U.S.) provide some confidence that despite some of the geopolitical uncertainties and trade uncertainties, the foundation for the bull market remains intact," he said.

Markets will keep an eye on jobs data in Canada and the U.S. on Friday and the Bank of Canada's rate decision later this week.

The central bank on Wednesday is likely to hold the rate at 2.75%, according to the majority of economists polled by Reuters.

Conversely on the TSX, the healthcare sector .GSPTTHC fell 2.4%, with cannabis firm Tilray Brands TLRY.TO leading the losses, down 6.8%.

On the data front, Canadian manufacturing activity contracted for a fourth straight month in May as trade uncertainty led firms to shed workers at the fastest rate since early in the pandemic.