Canada's economy expands 0.3% in April; another gain seen in May

By Ismail Shakil

OTTAWA (Reuters) -Canada's gross domestic product increased 0.3% in April, matching market expectations, as growth rebounded in sectors including wholesale trade and manufacturing, and the economy likely expanded further in May, data showed on Friday.

Analysts polled by Reuters had forecast 0.3% GDP growth in the month, after growth stalled in March.

The growth in April, fastest since the 0.5% clocked in January, was driven by rebounds in wholesale trade, mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction and manufacturing sectors, Statistics Canada said.

In a preliminary estimate for May, Statscan said GDP was likely up 0.1%, as increases in manufacturing, real estate and rental and leasing, and finance and insurance were partially offset by decreases in retail trade and wholesale trade.

This data could be revised when the next GDP numbers are announced on July 31.

Money markets, which were betting for almost a 75% chance of a rate cut earlier this week, trimmed the chances to around 40% after inflation data were released on Tuesday. After the GDP numbers were published, the bets slightly moved up to 42%.

Canada's inflation data showed consumer prices unexpectedly rose in May.

The central bank's next rate announcement is on July 24, before which it will have the benefit of one more inflation reading, along with the jobs report for June.

The Canadian dollar extended losses marginally after the data with the loonie trading down 0.06% to 1.3709 against the U.S. dollar, or 72.94 U.S. cents.

Friday's data puts the Canadian economy on track to exceed the Bank of Canada's second quarter annualized growth forecast of 1.5%.

GDP rose 1.7% in the first quarter, falling short of the bank's 2.8% growth rate projection.

In April, growth was recorded in 15 out of 20 sectors, the statistics agency said.

Retail trade, helped by food and beverage retailers and gasoline stations, was another top contributor of growth in April after two consecutive monthly declines, it said.

Construction and real estate and rental and leasing were among sectors that weighed on growth in the month.

Overall, both goods-producing and services-producing industries grew by 0.3% in April.

The central bank trimmed its key policy rate for the first time in more than four years earlier in June, and said more cuts were likely if inflation continued to show it was on a sustainable path back down to the 2% target.

(Reporting by Ismail Shakil and Dale Smith in Ottawa; Additional reporting by Promit Mukherjee; Editing by Andrea Ricci)