March 25 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index extended losses on Monday from its sharpest decline this year in the previous session, as investors fled riskier assets on concerns over a softening global economy.
* At 9:59 a.m. ET (1359 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index was down 50.65 points, or 0.31 percent, at 16,038.68.
* The energy sector posted the steepest drop of 1.2 percent as U.S. crude prices were down 0.5 percent a barrel, while Brent crude lost 0.2 percent.
* However, gains in mining stocks, which got a lift from investors flocking to the safe-haven bullion, countered heavy losses in the energy sector.
* The materials sector added 0.6 percent as spot gold gained 0.5 percent to $1,319.61 an ounce.
* The financials sector, which accounts more than a third of the main index's weight, slipped 0.5 percent. The industrials sector fell 0.3 percent.
* On the TSX, 110 issues were higher, while 123 issues declined for a 1.12-to-1 ratio to the downside, with 17.98 million shares traded.
* The largest percentage gainers on the TSX were Cronos Group Inc and TransAlta Corp, which rose 5.9 percent and 4.6 percent, respectively.
* Interfor Corp fell 3.3 percent, the most on the TSX.
* The second-biggest decliner was Kirkland Lake Gold Ltd , down 3.2 percent.
* The most heavily traded shares by volume were Aurora Cannabis, Bombardier Inc and Hexo Corp .
* The TSX posted 12 new 52-week highs and two new lows.
* Across all Canadian issues, there were 36 new 52-week highs and 10 new lows, with total volume of 56.24 million shares. (Reporting by Medha Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Maju Samuel)