Industrial activity in Canada rose to a three-month high in February

Data released by Markit Corporation today showed that the manufacturing purchasing managers' index in Canada rose to 56.6 points in February from 56.2 points in January, its highest level since November last year. The production index rose to 53.2 points in February compared to 51.5 points in January.

The employment gauge rose to 54.6 points in February from 53.2 points in January, while the delivery times index for suppliers was the fifth lowest in the 11-year history of the survey. Shreya Patel, an economist at Markit Foundation, said in a statement that the growth was supported by a faster expansion in production after the sharp rise in staff numbers and supportive domestic demand conditions, after easing domestic restrictions to contain the Corona virus pandemic.