Jan 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock ended higher on Monday as the financial and real estate sectors advanced, but gains for the market were held in check ahead of a Bank of Canada policy decision this week.
The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index (.GSPTSE), opens new tab ended up 17.78 points, or 0.1%, at 20,924.30. The higher close came as U.S. benchmark the S&P 500 hit a record high close for a second straight session.
The Bank of Canada is expected to leave its key overnight rate unchanged at a 22-year high of 5% at a policy decision on Wednesday, with stubborn inflation pushing back on bets for the first rate cut in almost four years.
Recent stronger-than-expected inflation data "has questioned the thesis" that interest rate hikes are done and that there is going to be cuts, said Matt Manara, partner and portfolio manager at Avenue Investments.
The heavily-weighted financials sector rose 0.4% and real estate, which could particularly benefit from a move to rate cuts, was up 0.9%.
Energy also ended higher, advancing 0.2%, as the price of oil settled 2.4% higher at $75.19 a barrel on expectations of tightening supply.
The consumer staples sector gave back some recent gains, falling 0.3%.
Reporting by Fergal Smith in Toronto and Purvi Agarwal in Bengaluru; Editing by Shweta Agarwal and Marguerita Choy
