OTTAWA (Reuters) – Canada’s trade surplus with the world widened in September, topping analyst expectations, as energy exports outweighed a worsening drop in two-way trade of motor vehicles and parts, data showed on Thursday.
The country’s trade surplus was C$1.86 billion ($1.50 billion) in September, ahead of the average analyst estimate of C$1.55 billion and up from a surplus of C$1.51 billion in August. It was the fourth consecutive trade surplus.
Exports were down by 2.3%, as shutdowns caused by a semi-conductor chip shortage weighed, but were partially offset by higher exports of energy products. Imports fell by 3.0%, also on motor vehicles and parts.
The Canadian dollar was trading 0.3% lower at 1.2425 to the greenback, or 80.48 U.S. cents as the greenback rallied against a basket of major currencies.
(Reporting by Julie Gordon in Ottawa; Editing by Kirsten Donovan)
