May 24 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index opened

higher on Friday as investors cheered softer-than-anticipated

retail sales data that cemented bets of June interest rate cut

by the Bank of Canada, while materials stocks led gains on

higher gold prices.

At 9:30 a.m. ET (13:30 GMT), the Toronto Stock Exchange's

S&P/TSX composite index was up 57.02 points, or 0.26%,

at 22,257.81. On a weekly basis, the benchmark S&P/TSX index

looks set for its biggest drop since mid-April.