Statistics Canada announced on Wednesday that Canada’s merchandise trade balance came in at a surplus of a CAD0.76 billion in May, compared to a revised deficit of CAD1.08 billion in April (originally a CAD0.97-billion deficit). That was the second trade surplus since December 2016,

Economists had expected a deficit of CAD1.50 billion.

According to the report, the country’s exports increased 4.6 percent m-o-m in May, due mainly to higher exports of motor vehicles and parts (+12.4 percent m-o-m), aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (+33.0 percent m-o-m), and energy products (+5.0 percent m-o-m).

Meanwhile, imports rose 1.0 percent m-o-m in May, mostly on higher imports of aircraft and other transportation equipment and parts (+14.2 percent m-o-m), as well as motor vehicle engines and motor vehicle parts (+9.2 percent m-o-m).