Canadian international merchandise trade
25 July 2002
Canadian international merchandise trade
May 2002
The following article is excerpted from "The Daily", a newsletter from Statistics Canada. The entire document is available from the Statistics Canada web site, at http://www.statcan.ca/Daily/English/020719/d020719a.htm.
... Imports increased in five of seven major sectors in May....
Automotive product imports held steady, falling only 0.2% to $6.6 billion in May. Imports of motor vehicle parts, used in the production of Canadian-built automobiles, fell 2.5% to $3.6 billion. Passenger car imports increased 1.0% to $2.1 billion. Imports of trucks and other motor vehicles halted a three-month slide, rising 7.1% to $910.3 million.
Imports of machinery and equipment, Canada's largest import sector, increased 0.5% to $8.7 billion in May. Within this sector, imports of communications equipment, which includes telecommunications equipment and semi-conductors, rose 2.5% to $4.0 billion. Imports of office machines and equipment fell 2.4% to $1.3 billion, and aircraft and other transportation equipment dropped 13.7% to $1.0 billion. The aircraft, engines and parts sub-sector plummeted 20.6% to $620.8 million, as passenger carriers continued modernizing their fleets, but at a slower pace than seen in the previous three months.
Industrial and agricultural machinery imports rose 6.2% to $2.4 billion, thanks to strong activity in industrial machinery (+10.2% to $1.4 billion), excavating machinery (+10.6% to $144.4 million) and metal working machinery (+6.8% to $215.2 million). Imports of engines, turbines and motors fell 7.1% to $270.2 million, following a strong increase in April.
Imports in Canada's third largest import sector, industrial goods and materials, increased 1.0% to $5.7 billion, mainly on a 12.3% increase in imports of organic chemicals to $553.0 million. These organic chemicals are used mainly in the production of pharmaceuticals. Imports of steel bars, rods, plates and sheets increased 9.6% to $354.4 million, driving a gain in metal and metal ores, which rose 2.5% to $1.4 billion.
The consumer goods sector nudged closer to February's record high level with a 1.2% increase to $3.8 billion in May. The miscellaneous consumer goods group grew 1.8% to $1.5 billion, also just under February's high.
Imports of agricultural and fishing products rose a slight 0.5% to $1.8 billion, as gains in fresh fruit and vegetables (+5.4% to $498.0 million) outweighed declines in other agricultural and fishing products (-1.4% to $1.3 billion)....