Canadian Economy Outperforms Forecasts, Lifting Loonie
The Canadian economy grew more quickly than expected in the first two months of the year, helping reduce market-implied odds on an imminent pivot to easing at the Bank of Canada. Numbers released by Statistics Canada this morning show real gross domestic product topping forecasts with a 0.6 percent expansion in January, followed by a potential 0.4-percent gain in February. The services sector led gains, with a 0.7-percent rise in January, helped by the ending of public sector strikes in Quebec in November and December. A rise in home resales helped lift activity among real estate agents and brokers. But...