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TSX ends down 5.14 points at 21,525.93

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Tech falls 2.8%; Shopify ( SHOP ) hits a 2-month low

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Materials group rises; gold posts record high

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Energy gains 1%

(Updates at market close)

By Purvi Agarwal and Fergal Smith

March 5 (Reuters) - Canada's main index ended lower on

Tuesday as losses for the technology sector offset gains for

resource shares after the price of gold moved to a record high,

and as investors awaited an interest rate decision this week

from the Bank of Canada.

The Toronto Stock Exchange's S&P/TSX composite index

ended down 5.14 points at 21,525.93. It was the second

straight day of modest losses for the index after notching a

near two-year high on Friday.

Wall Street's major index posted heavier declines, with

weakness in megacap growth shares weighing on the

technology-heavy Nasdaq.

The Toronto market's technology sector fell 2.8%, with

e-commerce company Shopify ( SHOP ) hitting a two-month low.

The Bank of Canada is expected on Wednesday to leave its

benchmark interest rate on hold at a 22-year high. Investors

were also awaiting congressional testimony from U.S. Federal

Reserve Chair Jerome Powell and U.S. jobs data this week.

"It would be shocking to the markets if they (the BoC) cut

(on Wednesday) as opposed to hold," said Macan Nia, co-chief

investment strategist at Manulife Investment Management.

"Central banks are going to be very methodical in terms of

cutting interest rates, especially when inflation is still above

their targets."

The materials sector, which includes precious and base

metals miners and fertilizer companies, was up 0.3% as gold

climbed as high as $2,141.59 per ounce.

Energy shares also gained ground, rising 1%, even as the

price of oil settled 0.8% lower at $78.15 a barrel.