Statistics Canada says the country’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $4.2 billion in January as higher oil prices helped exports rise faster than imports.
The result followed a revised deficit of $4.8 billion for December compared with an initial reading of a deficit of $4.6 billion for the final month of 2018.
Economists had expected a deficit of $3.5 billion for January, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon.
Statistics Canada said total exports rose 2.9 per cent to $47.6 billion in January, the first increase since July 2018. Excluding energy products, exports rose 1.2 per cent in January.
Meanwhile, total imports rose 1.5 per cent to a record $51.8 billion in January, boosted by imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts.
Imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts rose 52.6 per cent to a record $2.7 billion due to higher imports of airliners from the United States.
The Canadian Press
