Québec, July 17, 2024. – Québec’s international merchandise exports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, were down for the second consecutive month (-2.1% in May and -5.5% in April). This finding comes from an analysis of the most recent data on Québec’s international merchandise trade released today by the Institut de la statistique du Québec.
The products that contributed the most to this monthly decrease were aircraft (-31.0%), unwrought aluminum and aluminum alloys (-10.8%), other metal ores and concentrates, not elsewhere classified (-57.0%), and light-duty trucks, vans and sport utility vehicles, without electric motor (-17.7%).
The products whose exports increased in May include commercial and service industry machinery and equipment (+99.0%), heavy fuel oils (+350.6%), aircraft engines (+19.1%), and unwrought copper and copper alloys (+43.9%).
Exports in the first five months of 2024 were up 1.3% compared with the same months of 2023.
Québec’s international merchandise imports up in May 2024
Québec’s international merchandise imports, seasonally adjusted and in constant dollars, were up 0.9% in May 2024 from April.
The products that contributed the most to this increase in imports were aircraft, whose imports in April were very low, basic and semi-finished products of non-ferrous metals and non-ferrous metal alloys (except gold, silver, platinum group metals and aluminum) (+49.7%), ships, whose imports in May were exceptionally high, as well as sugar and sugar mill by-products (+303.3%).
In contrast, imports of certain products were down in May. This was the case for aviation fuel, which had no imports in May, pharmaceutical and medicinal products (-22.6%), aircraft parts and other aerospace equipment (-17.6%), and lubricants and other petroleum refinery products (-74.2%).
Imports in the first five months of 2024 were up 1.7% compared with the same months of 2023.
The situation in Canada
According to data published by Statistics Canada on July 3, 2024, Canada’s seasonally adjusted merchandise exports in constant dollars decreased by 4.0% in May 2024 from the previous month. Meanwhile, imports were down 0.6%.
For the first five months of 2024, Canada’s merchandise exports and imports decreased by 1.2% and 0.6%, respectively, compared with the same period in 2023.
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International merchandise exports and imports1 |
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| 2023 | 2024 | ||||||
| Annual change | Monthly change | Cumulative change2 | |||||
| April | May | ||||||
| Québec | |||||||
| Exports | 3.3 | –5.5 | –2.1 | 1.3 | |||
| Imports | –2.1 | 3.1 | 0.9 | 1.7 | |||
| Canada | |||||||
| Exports | 6.4 | 2.2 | –4.0 | –1.2 | |||
| Imports | –0.8 | –0.8 | –0.6 | –0.6 | |||
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1. Seasonally adjusted data in constant dollars (at 2017 prices). Sources |
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Useful links
International trade – Monthly data
International Trade Data Online: A tool for generating customized reports
Next release: August 20, 2024
For 25 years, the Institut de la statistique du Québec has been producing, analyzing, and disseminating official, objective and high-quality statistical information on various aspects of Québec society. It is responsible for conducting all statistical surveys of general interest. The relevance of its work makes it a strategic ally for decision makers and an essential source of information for all those wishing to learn more about Québec.