Canada’s balance of international payments for the first quarter of 2024 revealed a mixed economic picture, marked by a growing current account deficit and significant movements in financial transactions. According to recent data from Statistics Canada, the current account deficit widened to $5.4 billion, up by $0.9 billion from the previous quarter.
The first quarter of 2024 saw Canada’s current account balance continue its trend of deficits, marking the seventh consecutive quarter in the red. The primary contributor to this widening deficit was a shift in the goods balance, which swung from a surplus in the previous quarter to a deficit. Specifically, the goods balance moved to a $1.1 billion deficit from a $2.2 billion surplus. This change overshadowed improvements in other areas such as services, investment income, and transfers.
The trade balance for goods and services combined posted a $4.7 billion deficit, an increase of $2.8 billion from the last quarter of 2023. A significant decline in goods exports, primarily due to lower energy product prices, was the main driver. Exports of goods fell by 1.3% to $191.7 billion, with energy product exports dropping 4.7% to $44.3 billion, largely influenced by falling crude oil prices. However, this decline was partially offset by a 9.7% increase in metal product exports, reaching a record $24.5 billion, driven by higher gold exports.
On the import side, goods imports edged up by 0.4% to $192.8 billion. Increases in imports of electronic products, consumer goods, and energy products were tempered by a decrease in motor vehicle imports.
The trade in services showed a more favorable trend, with the deficit narrowing by $0.5 billion to $3.6 billion. This improvement was almost entirely due to a rise in the commercial services surplus, driven by higher exports of royalties and financial services. Notably, computer services exports continued to grow, setting new records. In contrast, the travel deficit widened slightly to $1.2 billion as travel exports decreased more than imports.
Investment income presented a positive note, with the surplus increasing by $1.1 billion to $1.6 billion. This growth was driven by higher interest received on foreign loans and deposits, alongside increased income from foreign securities. Both Canadian direct investors abroad and foreign direct investors in Canada saw higher profits.
In the financial account, unadjusted for seasonal variations, there were significant inflows of funds from abroad, mainly through loans and deposits, to finance the current account deficit. However, portfolio and direct investments played a moderating role in the overall inflows.
Canadian investors were notably active in acquiring foreign bonds, setting a record with $37.2 billion in purchases during the first quarter. This figure surpassed the total acquisitions for the entire previous year. The majority of these investments were in government bonds. Additionally, Canadian holdings of foreign stocks increased by $14.1 billion, driven by significant purchases of U.S. equity securities, particularly in the technology sector.
Foreign investors also showed strong interest in Canadian bonds, acquiring $57.9 billion worth, the highest level since early 2022. This investment was focused on federal government and private corporate bonds, primarily issued in foreign currencies by Canadian chartered banks.
Canadian direct investment abroad surged to $29.8 billion, significantly up from $17.3 billion in the previous quarter. This increase was fueled by substantial merger and acquisition activities and reinvested earnings in foreign affiliates. The trade and transportation sector was a major focus, with most investments directed toward the United States.
Conversely, foreign direct investors withdrew $6.2 billion from Canada, marking the first net divestment in 14 years. This withdrawal was driven by significant merger and acquisition activities in the finance and insurance sector, although this was somewhat offset by investments in other sectors such as manufacturing, trade and transportation, and energy and mining.