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TSX ends up 0.5% at 24,033.83

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Materials group rises 1.5% as gold climbs

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Technology advances 2%

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Energy falls 3.1%; oil settles 2.9% lower

(Updates at market close)

By Nikhil Sharma and Fergal Smith

Sept 26 (Reuters) - Canada's commodity-linked main stock

index closed above the 24,000 threshold for the first time on

Thursday as China's assurance of more stimulus offset pressure

on energy shares after oil prices tumbled.

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

ended up 127.95 points, or 0.5%, at 24,033.83,

eclipsing the record closing high it posted on Tuesday.

China plans to issue special sovereign bonds worth about 2

trillion yuan ($284.43 billion) this year as part of a fresh

fiscal stimulus, said two sources with knowledge of the matter.

"China is obviously a big industrial consumer of things like

copper and metals," said Brian Madden, chief investment officer

at First Avenue Investment Counsel.

The stimulus is positive "for global economic growth,

Chinese economic growth and by extension demand for Canadian

resources," Madden added.

The materials sector, which includes fertilizer companies

and metal mining shares, was up 1.5% as gold extended its

record-setting run and copper jumped more than 3%.

Technology rose 2%, tracking gains for Wall Street's

tech-heavy Nasdaq following Micron Technology's ( MU ) upbeat

first-quarter forecast.

Consumer discretionary was also a standout, adding 1.8%, as

shares of auto parts supplier Magna International ( MGA ) clawed

back much of the previous day's sharp decline.

TD Bank named Andy Bregenzer and Jill Gateman as

co-heads of its U.S. commercial banking business, replacing

Chris Giamo, who retired earlier this year. Shares of the bank

rose 0.6%, while the heavily weighted financials sector was up

0.9%.

Energy was a drag, falling 3.1%, as the price of oil settled

2.9% lower at $67.67 a barrel on a report that top exporter

Saudi Arabia will give up its $100 price target in preparation

for raising output.