Trade surplus widens unexpectedlyBut this isn't a positive report

Canada's trade surplus with the rest of the world unexpectedly rose in February as imports tumbled more than exports, Statistics Canada said Today. The surplus swelled to $6.31-billion from a revised $6.16-billion in January. Statscan had originally reported that the January surplus was $6.35-billion.

The surplus grew as imports of metals, chemicals, trucks and some machinery tumbled after they had surged in December and January. Imports had reached a record in recent months. Exports, meantime, declined for the second month in a row in February.