OTTAWA, Aug. 4 (Xinhua) -- Canada's merchandise exports increased 2 percent in June mostly on crude oil and gold exports, Statistics Canada announced Thursday.
This was the sixth consecutive monthly increase for Canadian exports, the first time this has happened since 2013, the national statistical agency said, adding that in volume terms, exports were up 2.2 percent, meaning that export prices declined in June overall.
According to the agency, exports of crude oil and bitumen increased by 3.7 percent, posting the largest increase in June, largely on higher volumes. Prices for crude oil exports also rose in June, a sixth consecutive monthly increase.
Exports of unwrought gold, silver, and platinum group metals, and their alloys increased by 29.2 percent, contributing the most to the monthly gain in this product section.
Meanwhile, imports rose 1.7 percent and Canada's merchandise trade surplus with the world widened to 5 billion Canadian dollars (4 billion U.S. dollars) in June.
When international trade in goods and international trade in services were combined, exports increased 1.9 percent to 82.7 billion Canadian dollars (66.2 billion U.S. dollars) in June, while imports were up 1.9 percent to 78.9 billion Canadian dollars (63.1 billion U.S. dollars). As a result, Canada's trade surplus with the world went to 3.8 billion Canadian dollars (3.1 billion U.S. dollars) in June, Statistics Canada said. ■