Dec 8 (Reuters) - Canada’s main stock index reversed course to trade higher on Tuesday, powered by gains in energy shares, while rising coronavirus cases around the world kept sentiment in check. * The energy sector rose 0.4%, after an initial drop, with oil producers Crescent Point Energy Corp and Cenovus Energy Inc gaining 2.7% and 2.4%, respectively, and were the top gainers in the index. * At 09:51 a.m. ET (14:51 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange’s S&P/TSX composite index was up 18.86 points, or 0.11%, at 17,601.21. * The financials sector gained 0.2%, while industrials fell 0.2%. * The materials sector, which includes precious and base metals miners and fertilizer companies, added 0.1% as gold rose 0.4% to $1,870 an ounce. * On the TSX, 104 issues were higher, while 109 issues declined for a 1.05-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 27.34 million shares traded. * Cancer drug developer Trillium Therapeutics Inc fell 10.8%, the most on the TSX, and the second biggest decliner was IT services provider Real Matters Inc, down 2.1%. * The most heavily traded shares by volume were BCE Inc , Gran Tierra Energy Inc and Air Canada . * The TSX posted no new 52-week high or low. * Across all Canadian issues there were 19 new 52-week highs and three new lows, with total volume of 55.11 million shares. (Reporting by Amal S in Bengaluru; Editing by Sriraj Kalluvila)