Canada’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $1.3 billion in September as imports fell more than exports, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.
The result compared with a revised deficit of $1.5 billion for August. The initial estimate for August released last month had shown a deficit of $1.1 billion.
Statistics Canada said the results for September came as total exports edged down 0.1 percent to $63.9 billion.
Exports of metal and non-metallic mineral products fell 5.4 percent as exports of unwrought gold, silver, and platinum group metals, and their alloys, decreased 15.4 percent. Exports of energy products dropped 2.6 percent as lower prices weighed on crude oil exports.
Meanwhile, imports for September fell 0.4 percent to $65.1 billion as imports of metal and non-metallic mineral products dropped 12.7 percent.
In volume terms, total exports rose 1.4 percent in September while total imports were essentially unchanged in September.
“Activity in volume terms was encouraging, suggesting net exports might add a little to economic growth in Q3 after dragging in the previous quarter,” BMO economist Shelly Kaushik wrote in a report.
Regionally, Statistics Canada said the country’s merchandise trade surplus with the United States was $8.3 billion in September compared with $7.8 billion in August as exports to the U.S. rose 1.6 percent and imports from the U.S. gained 0.8 percent.
Canada’s trade deficit with countries other than the United States was $9.6 billion in September compared with $9.3 billion in August.
In a separate release, Statistics Canada said the country’s international trade in services deficit was $1.2 billion in September compared with $1.4 billion in August as exports of services rose 1.6 percent to $17.2 billion and imports of services gained 0.3 percent to $18.4 billion.
When the international trade in goods and services were combined, Canada’s total trade deficit with the world was $2.5 billion in September compared with $2.9 billion in August.
