The annual inflation rate in Canada accelerated slightly in April on broad-based price increases for items such as mortgage payments, vehicles and fresh vegetables.
According to StatsCanada, Canada’s CPI rose 2.0% y/y, after a 1.9% advance in March.
On a month-over-month basis, inflation climbed 0.4%, led by higher prices for gasoline and women’s clothing.
However, the Bank of Canada preferred measures for underlying inflation moved down. The average annual gain for the three core-inflation measures came in at 1.9% m/m vs. March’s 2%.
CAD is trading at the low of the day so far, the USD is up 0.2% at C$1.3490.
U.S. retail sales miss
South of the Canadian border, an important measure of consumer spending fell in April, signalling spending was sluggish stateside as Q2 begins.
Retail sales declined a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in April m/m according to the Commerce Department.
The drop fell short of the 0.2% increase the market was expecting. The disappointing print has dealers increasing the odds for a Fed rate cut sooner than later.
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