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TSX ends down 0.5% at 21,984.08

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For the week, the index gains 0.6%

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Materials sector falls 1% as metal prices fall

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Financials end 0.6% lower

(Updates at market close)

By Fergal Smith

March 22 (Reuters) - Canada's commodity-linked main

stock index ended lower on Friday as the U.S. dollar

strengthened but the index still notched its sixth straight

weekly gain.

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

ended down 103.18 points, or 0.5%, at 21,984.08, after

posting on Tuesday its first record high closing level in two

years.

For the week, the index was up 0.6%. The weekly winning

streak was the longest since December 2020.

"Today is a bit of a day off (due to) the strong dollar.

Investors are taking some profit off the table in many areas,"

said Allan Small, senior investment advisor of the Allan Small

Financial Group with iA Private Wealth.

"Whenever you have U.S. dollar strength, it's not good for

commodities. We know our markets are very heavily weighted in

that space."

Resource shares account for roughly 30% of the Toronto

market. The materials sector, which includes precious and base

metals miners and fertilizer companies, fell 1% as gold and

copper prices fell.

The U.S. dollar notched a second straight week of

gains against a basket of major currencies, making commodities

priced in the U.S. currency more expensive for buyers using

other currencies.

Heavily-weighted financials also lost ground, falling 0.6%,

and technology was down 1.1%.

Tilray Brands Inc ( TLRY ) shares climbed 19.8%, with

shares of pot firms jumping as Germany makes cannabis possession

legal.