Canada’s merchandise trade balance recorded its largest surplus since October, driven by a strong increase in gold shipments to Switzerland and the U.K. The country’s trade surplus widened to $1.39 billion in February, from $608 million a month earlier, Statistics Canada reported Thursday in Ottawa. Economists had been expecting exports to exceed imports by $680 million in February. Total exports jumped 5.8 per cent that month, the largest percentage increase since August 2023, while total imports rose 4.6 per cent. In volume terms, exports were up 6.2 per cent and imports grew 4.1 per cent. More than half of the ... (full story)