TSX rises on gains in bank shares

(Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Wednesday, helped by gains in bank shares on a day which saw strong quarterly earnings from big U.S. lenders.

* At 9:37 a.m. ET (1437 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 57.23 points, or 0.38 percent, at 15,103.51.

* The main index rose for its ninth straight session.

* All of the index's 11 major sectors were higher, led by a 0.7 percent gain in the financials sector.

* The optimism spilled over from Wall Street, which rose after strong earnings reports from Goldman Sachs and Bank of America.

* The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners, added 0.1 percent, as nickel touched a 10-week high and gold prices were steady.

* On the TSX, 163 issues were higher, while 67 issues declined for a 2.43-to-1 ratio favouring gainers, with 12.74 million shares traded.

* Top percentage gainer on the TSX were shares of First Quantum Minerals, which jumped 7.6 percent after announcing preliminary 2018 production and sales numbers.

* NFI Group In fell 10.8 percent, the most on the TSX, after announcing its 2019 outlook.

* The most heavily traded shares by volume were those of Aurora Cannabis, Argex Titanium Inc, and Encana Corp.

* The TSX posted one new 52-week high and one new low.

* Across all Canadian issues there were four new 52-week highs and one new low, with total volume of 20.84 million shares.

(Reporting by Shreyashi Sanyal in Bengaluru; Editing by Arun Koyyur)