(Updates with morning prices)

By Sanchayaita Roy

March 31 (Reuters) - Canada's main stock index fell on

Monday, dragged by information technology stocks, as investors

shunned risky assets amid concerns that U.S. President Donald

Trump's upcoming tariffs will hurt the global economy.

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

was down 0.2% at 24,686.72 points, and is poised to decline

nearly 3% this month, if losses hold.

Global stocks plunged after Trump said on Sunday the

reciprocal tariffs he is expected to announce on Wednesday will

include all nations, adding to existing levies on aluminum,

steel, autos and a range of Chinese goods.

"We've got that big fear that there could be a lot of

tariffs implemented on Wednesday", said Colin Cieszynski, chief

market strategist at SIA Wealth Management.

While Canada had secured protections against new U.S. auto

tariffs, including a 60-day delay and annual duty-free quotas,

under a 2018 trade agreement with the U.S. and Mexico, there's

no evidence Trump will honor those commitments.

However, the Canadian government expects the U.S. to honor

the agreements on Wednesday.

Information technology led declines, down 2.6% to

its lowest in five months, with electronic equipment company

Celestica ( CLS ) falling 7.2% to the bottom of the benchmark

index.

Meanwhile, heavy-weight energy climbed 1.4%,

tracking crude prices, spurred by Trump's threat to impose

secondary tariffs on buyers of Russian oil and a warning of

possible military action against Iran.

Consumer staples gained 1.3% with Metro

rising 2% after the food and pharmacy retailer said it

prioritizes local products amid the "Buy Canadian" movement.

Gold prices reached a fresh record high, as worries about

potential inflation pressures due to U.S. tariffs put the

safe-haven asset on track for its strongest quarter since 1986.

"Gold helps to cushion the Canadian market a bit, as we've

seen this over the last few days that Canada has gone down less

than the U.S. as the heavily weighted gold sector benefits from

this uncertainty", Cieszynski added.