Canada’s merchandise trade deficit narrowed to $0.5 billion in March from $1.4 billion in February. Exports edged down 0.2%, driven by consumer goods (-4.2%) and energy (-2.2%), though autos jumped 7.7% ahead of those tariffs in early April. Overall, StatCan noted that a decline in shipments to the U.S. was almost entirely offset by higher exports to other destinations. Meantime, imports fell 1.5% weighed by weakness in metal and non-metallic mineral (-15.8%) and energy (-18.8%) products. In volume terms, exports rose 1.1% while imports dropped 1.0%. For the first quarter, exports increased 10.0% a.r., a bit stronger ... (full story)