Canada Current Account

Canada reported a current account deficit equivalent to 10.3 Billions CAD in the fourth quarter of 2011. Historically, from 1946 until 2011, Canada Current Account averaged -1.1 Billion CAD reaching an all time high of 12.0 Billion CAD in December of 2005 and a record low of -17.9 Billion CAD in September of 2010. Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). This page includes a chart with historical data for Canada Current Account.

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Current Account
Current Account is the sum of the balance of trade (exports minus imports of goods and services), net factor income (such as interest and dividends) and net transfer payments (such as foreign aid). The balance of trade is typically the most important part of the current account. This means that changes in the patterns of trade are key drivers in the current accounts of most of the world's economies. However, for the few countries with substantial overseas assets or liabilities, net factor payments may be significant. Positive net sales to abroad generally contributes to a current account surplus; negative net sales to abroad generally contributes to a current account deficit. Because exports generate positive net sales, and because the trade balance is typically the largest component of the current account, a current account surplus is usually associated with positive net exports. The net factor income or income account, a sub-account of the current account, is usually presented under the headings income payments as outflows, and income receipts as inflows. Income refers not only to the money received from investments made abroad (note: investments are recorded in the capital account but income from investments is recorded in the current account) but also to the money sent by individuals working abroad, known as remittances, to their families back home. If the income account is negative, the country is paying more than it is taking in interest, dividends, etc. For example, the United States' net income has been declining exponentially since it has allowed the dollar's price relative to other currencies to be determined by the market to a point where income payments and receipts are roughly equal of trade forms part of the current account, which also includes other transactions such as income from the international investment position as well as international aid. If the current account is in surplus, the country's net international asset position increases correspondingly. Equally, a deficit decreases the net international asset position.

CANADA NEWS

Canada's Unemployment Rate Up to 7.3% in April
Published: 5/11/2012 1:39:49 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Canada's employment increased by 58,000 in April, mostly in full-time work. This was the second consecutive month of notable gains after four months of little change. With more people searching for work, the unemployment rate increased by 0.1 percentage points to 7.3%.

Canada's Trade Surplus Widens in March
Published: 5/10/2012 1:50:11 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Canada's merchandise exports edged down 0.4% and imports decreased 0.6%. As a result, Canada's trade surplus increased from $273 million in February to $351 million in March.

Bank of Canada Keeps Overnight Rate at 1%
Published: 4/18/2012 11:47:59 AM By: Bnak of Canada
The Bank of Canada announced on April 17th that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent.

Canada's Trade Surplus Narrows in February
Published: 4/12/2012 1:45:02 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Canada's merchandise exports declined 3.9% and imports edged up 0.2%. As a result, Canada's trade surplus decreased from $1.9 billion in January to $292 million in February.

Canada's Unemployment Down to 7.2% in March
Published: 4/5/2012 3:46:43 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Following four months of little change, employment increased by 82,000 in March, mostly in full-time work. This brought the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.2%.

Canada's Inflation Rate Up to 2.6% in February
Published: 3/23/2012 11:23:31 AM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Led by increases in energy and food, consumer prices rose 2.6% in the 12 months to February after increasing 2.5% in January.

Canada's Trade Surplus Narrows in January
Published: 3/9/2012 2:03:30 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Canada's merchandise exports declined 2.3% and imports edged down 0.6%. As a result, Canada's trade surplus narrowed from $2.9 billion in December 2011 to $2.1 billion in January 2012. This was the third consecutive monthly trade surplus.

Canada's Unemployment Rate Down to 7.4% in February
Published: 3/9/2012 12:21:06 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
A decline in the number of people searching for work pushed the unemployment rate down 0.2 percentage points to 7.4%. Compared with 12 months earlier, employment was up by 121,000 (+0.7%), with the bulk of the increase occurring in the first half of the period.

Bank of Canada Keeps Overnight Rate Target at 1%
Published: 3/8/2012 3:04:55 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Bank of Canada
The Bank of Canada announced on March 8th that it is maintaining its target for the overnight rate at 1 per cent. The Bank Rate is correspondingly 1 1/4 per cent and the deposit rate is 3/4 per cent.

Canada's Economy Expands 0.4% in Q4
Published: 3/2/2012 2:04:19 PM By: TradingEconomics.com, Statistics Canada
Real gross domestic product (GDP) rose 0.4% in the fourth quarter, after advancing 1.0% in the third quarter. Consumer spending and exports contributed the most to fourth-quarter GDP growth. Final domestic demand grew 0.5%.

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