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TSX ends up 0.3% at 21,871.96

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Notches fourth day of gains

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Technology gains 1.2%; financials add 0.6%

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Materials sector declines as gold falls

(Updates at market close)

By Fergal Smith

April 22 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index rose on

Monday, helped by gains for technology and financial shares, as

investor sentiment showed signs of recovering after a rough

period for the market since the start of April.

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

ended up 64.59 points, or 0.3%, at 21,871.96, its

fourth straight day of gains after it hit a near six-week low

last Tuesday.

The index has declined 1.3% since the beginning of April,

tracking losses on Wall Street, as investors grew more worried

about Middle East tensions and the prospect of sticky inflation

delaying Federal Reserve interest rate cuts.

"We were oversold for sure. The sentiment in April has been

really nasty," said Barry Schwartz, a portfolio manager at

Baskin Financial Services.

"April showers hopefully will bring some May flowers," added

Schwartz, referring to the saying about better conditions around

the corner.

U.S. stocks rallied on Monday following a market sell-off in

previous sessions as investors eyed a busy week for quarterly

results from key companies that would provide a glimpse of the

U.S. economy's health.

The Toronto market's technology sector rallied

1.2%, led by a gain of 5.2% for the shares of Celestica Inc ( CLS )

after analysts at RBC and BMO raised their target

prices on the stock.

Heavily weighted financials added 0.6% and

industrials were up 0.9%.

The materials group, which includes metal miners

and fertilizer companies, was the biggest drag. It ended 2.8%

lower as gold gave back some of its recent record-setting rally.

Shares of Energy Fuels fell 10.1% after the uranium

miner announced a deal to buy Australia's Base Resources ( BSRUF )

.