TORONTO (Bloomberg) — Canadian technology stocks gained, led by Research In Motion Ltd., on a report that the company obtained permission to sell its BlackBerry e-mail phone in China.Manulife Financial Corp. fell as bond yields increased and investors speculated rising interest rates may hurt banks and insurers.

"China is another good opportunity for RIM — there's no doubt that they've got a good business model," said Stephen Gauthier, who manages about $18 million as partner in Montreal- based Gauthier & Cie. "With bond yields and interest rates rising, financial shares are not the best place to be."

The Standard & Poor's/TSX Composite Index was little changed, adding 19.02, or 0.1 percent, to 14,079.41 in Toronto. A gauge of technology stocks climbed 1.8 percent, while a measure of financial shares fell 0.4 percent.

Research in Motion rose C$8.52, or 3.9 percent, to C$228.59. The company may sell its handsets in Chinese shops by the end of next month, the Globe and Mail reported yesterday, citing a manager in Research In Motion's Beijing office.

Cognos Inc. gained 59 cents to C$42.59. The second-biggest maker of business-management software doubled the maximum value of stock it plans to buy back under its repurchase program to $400 million.

Raw-materials producers extended gains on takeover speculation, adding 0.8 percent as a group. An index of energy shares rose 0.3 percent as oil prices advanced.

Alcan Inc., the target of a $27.7 billion hostile takeover bid from rival aluminium maker Alcoa Inc., climbed C$1.01 to C$89.82. Both companies may "soon" receive takeover bids from a third party, the Sydney Morning Herald said, citing people it didn't identify in the US and Australia.