Sept 14 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on Monday as signs of progress in developing a COVID-19 vaccine renewed hopes for a post-pandemic economic rebound.

* At 9:50 a.m. ET (1350 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was up 122.42 points, or 0.75%, at 16,344.88.

* Canada is signaling it might not compensate major telecommunications providers, if the federal government bans equipment made by China's Huawei from 5G networks, setting up a potential fight over a bill that could hit C$1 billion ($758 million).

* The financials and the industrials sectors gained 0.6% and 0.9%, respectively.

* The materials sector, which includes precious and base metal miners and fertilizer companies, added 1.6% as gold futures rose 0.3% to $1,943 an ounce.

* The energy sector, however, dropped 1.5% as U.S. crude prices were down 0.9% a barrel, while Brent crude lost 1.0%.

* On the TSX, 182 issues gained, while 36 declined for a 5.06-to-1 ratio favoring gainers, with 19.97 million shares traded.

* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Torex Gold Resources, which jumped 8.6%, and Dundee Precious Metals that rose 6.9%.

* Cineplex fell 4.3%, the most on the TSX, followed by Enerplus Corp that lost 3.6%.

* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Suncor Energy, Les Ressources Yorbeau Inc and B2Gold Corp.

* The TSX posted four new 52-week highs and no new low.

* Across Canadian issues there were 16 new 52-week highs and six new lows, with total volume of 39.98 million shares traded. (Reporting by Shashank Nayar in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)