For: Mar
Current Month: The IHS Markit Purchasing Managers Index registered 55.7 in March, little changed from 55.6 in February and above the neutral 50.0 threshold for the 25th consecutive month.
For: Feb
Current Month: Canada's merchandise trade deficit totaled $2.7 billion in February, widening from a $1.9-billion deficit in January. Imports rose 1.9% and exports increased 0.4%.
For: Mar.
Current Month: Employment increased by 32,000 in March, driven by full-time gains. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 5.8%.
Current Month: The index measured 59.8 in March, in contrast to a reading of 59.6 in February, and 61.1 in March 2017. A reading above 50 indicates an increase in the pace of activity.
Current Month: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation's seasonally-adjusted annual rate of starts declined to 225,213 in March from February’s upwardly revised 231,026. Economists had forecast starts would decline to 218,000 homes.
Current Month: Canadian municipalities issued $8.2 billion in building permits in February (-2.6%), following a 5.2% gain in January. Single-family homes as well as the commercial and institutional components saw lower levels of construction intentions in February.
Current Month: Lower prices for new homes in Toronto were the main reason for a national price decline in February. Following two consecutive months of no change, new home prices were down 0.2% nationally.
Current Month: Home sales via Canadian MLS® Systems edged up 1.3 % from February to March 2018. Despite having improved marginally in March, national sales activity in the first quarter slid to the lowest quarterly level since the first quarter of 2014.
Current Month: Foreign investment in Canadian securities totaled $4.0 billion in February, down from $5.6 billion in January. Meanwhile, Canadian investment in foreign securities slowed to $6.3 billion, following two months of strong acquisitions.
Current Month: Manufacturing sales increased 1.9% to $55.8 billion in February, following two consecutive monthly decreases.
For: Apr
Current Month: The Bank of Canada today maintained its target for the overnight rate at 1.25% The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1.5% and the deposit rate is 1%.
Current Month: The number of regular Employment Insurance beneficiaries decreased by 11,300 or 2.3% in February to 480,200, the lowest level since comparable data became available in 1997.
Current Month: The Consumer Price Index rose 2.3% on a year-over-year basis in March, following a 2.2% increase in February. On a seasonally adjusted monthly basis, the Consumer Price Index was up 0.1% in March, after increasing 0.2% in February.
Current Month: Retail sales increased 0.4% in February to $49.8 billion. Higher sales at new car dealers and general merchandise stores were the main contributors to the gain.
Current Month: ---
