01:26 18 / 11 / 2015
Canada's overallinternational trade activity was down in October, has said Statistics Canada. Exportsdecreased 1.8% and imports declined 0.8%. Export volumes decreased 1.5% andprices were down 0.4%. For imports, volumes and prices declined 0.2% and 0.6%respectively. As a result, Canada'smerchandise trade deficit with the world widened from $2.3 billion in Septemberto $2.8 billion in October, the 14th consecutive monthly deficit.
Weakness in exports was concentrated in trade with the United States.Exports to the United Statesdeclined 2.8% to $32.2 billion in October, while imports from the United Statesedged down 0.3% to $30.6 billion. Consequently, Canada'strade surplus with the United States narrowed from $2.4 billion inSeptember to $1.6 billion in October.
Exports to countries other than the United States increased 1.2% to$10.8 billion. Exports to the United Kingdom increased 38.8% to $1.6 billion.Meanwhile, imports from countries other than the United States declined 1.7% to$15.1 billion. There were lower imports from Saudi Arabia (-96.9%) and Japan(-16.1%). As a result, Canada'strade deficit with countries other than the United States narrowed from $4.7billion in September to $4.3 billion in October.
Total exports from Canada decreased 1.8% to $43.0billion in October. There were declines in 10 of 11 sections, with the largestin farm, fishing and intermediate food products; basic and industrial chemical,plastic and rubber products; metal ores and non-metallic minerals; and metaland non-metallic mineral products. Exports excluding energy products were down2.1%. Year over year, total exports declined 3.5%.
Exports of farm, fishing and intermediate food products fell7.3% to $2.5 billion on lower volumes. The main contributor was lower exportsof canola, down 33.6% to $319 million.
Basic and industrial chemical, plastic and rubber productsdeclined 5.6% to $2.8 billion. Volumes declined 4.9% and prices were down 0.7%.Exports of dyes and pigments; petrochemicals (-20.5%), basic chemicals (-8.2%),and lubricants and other petroleum refinery products (-14.7%) decreased inOctober. Exports of metal ores and non-metallic minerals fell 9.4% to $1.5billion.
The main contributor to the decline was copper ores andconcentrates, down 24.5% to $242 million on lower volumes. Exports of metal andnon-metallic mineral products decreased 2.2% to $4.6 billion in October.Following a $109 million increase in September, exports of unwrought copper andcopper alloys fell $110 million to reach $119 million in October.
Total imports in Canadadeclined 0.8% to $45.7 billion in October. Imports fell in 7 of 11 sections,led by consumer goods. Year over year, imports increased 1.5%.