June 17 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index edged higher on Monday, as shares of financial companies gained ahead of a key U.S. Federal Reserve policy meeting that could determine the path of future interest rate cuts.
* The U.S. central bank is expected to leave borrowing costs unchanged at the end of the meeting, but analysts expect data to show that a growing number of policymakers are open to cutting rates in the coming months. Interest-rate sensitive financial companies .SPTTFS rose 0.5%.
* At 9:53 a.m. ET (13:53 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index .GSPTSE was up 22.2 points, or 0.14%, at 16,324.11.
* The materials sector .GSPTTMT , which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.3%. GOL/ MET/L
* Only the energy sector .SPTTEN was trading 0.1% lower as U.S. crude CLc1 prices were down 0.9% a barrel, while Brent crude LCOc1 lost 0.5%. O/R
* Healthcare sector, which was up 0.9%, led gains on the main index as shares of cannabis producers rose. Canopy Growth Corp WEED.TO and Aurora Cannabis Inc ACB.TO supported the sector.
* On the TSX, 144 issues were higher, while 89 issues declined for a 1.62-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 20.94 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainer on the TSX was Alacer Gold Corp ASR.TO , with an 8% rise, which was followed by a 4.1% gain for Bombardier Inc BBDb.TO .
* Fortuna Silver Mines FVI.TO fell 3.9%, the most on the TSX, and the second biggest decliner was Uni-Select Inc UNS.TO , down 3.8%.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Bombardier, Argex Titanium Inc RGX.TO and Royal Nickel RNX.TO .
* The TSX posted 15 new 52-week highs and seven new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues, there were 56 new 52-week highs and 19 new lows, with total volume touching 37.15 million shares.