Statistics Canada - Statistique Canada
Skip main navigation menuSkip secondary navigation menuHomeFrançaisContact UsHelpSearch the websiteCanada Site
The DailyCanadian StatisticsCommunity ProfilesProducts and servicesHome
CensusCanadian StatisticsCommunity ProfilesProducts and servicesOther links

Warning View the most recent version.

Archived Content

Information identified as archived is provided for reference, research or recordkeeping purposes. It is not subject to the Government of Canada Web Standards and has not been altered or updated since it was archived. Please "contact us" to request a format other than those available.

Media Room Search The Daily View or print The Daily in PDF format. Requires Adobe Acrobat Reader The Daily archives Latest release from the Labour Force Survey Latest release from the Consumer Price Index Recently released products Latest economic indicators Release dates Get a FREE subscription to The Daily Information about The Daily The Daily
Friday, August 16, 2002

Composite Index

July 2002

The leading indicator rose 0.2% in July, its twelfth straight advance. The rise would have matched June's 0.5% had the stock market not tumbled again. Manufacturing continued to lead the advance, as five components increased, three declined, and two were unchanged.

right click the chart to save it.

New orders for durable goods rose strongly for the fourth month in a row. Rising demand continued to be filled in part from inventories, with the ratio of shipments to inventories of finished goods recording the two strongest consecutive advances since the end of 1998. These good results, combined with manufacturers' optimism in July's Business Conditions Survey, are encouraging for the outlook for production. Manufacturers continued to meet their labour requirements by increasing employment in July, and average weekly hours worked remained close to a 30-year high.

Housing starts continued to exceed 200,000 units at the annual rate for the fifth month this year, thanks to renewed growth in central Canada. A drop in sales of existing homes, together with shortages in some market sectors, led to a continued gradual fall in the housing index from the 25-year high recorded in May. Strong sales of new homes continued to stimulate spending on furniture and appliances. The interruption in rebate programs in the automobile sector, prior to their reintroduction during the summer, led to a levelling-off in sales of other durable goods.

Over the last two months, the Toronto stock market has been one of the main sources of weakness in the Canadian index, losing almost 15% of its value. Stock markets in the United States also had a negative effect on their leading indicator, which posted the smallest increase (+0.1%) among the components that were up.

Available on CANSIM: table 377-0003.

For more information on the economy, see the August 2002 issue of Canadian economic observer (11-010-XPB, $23/$227), which will be available soon.

For more information, or to enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Francine Roy (613-951-3627), Current Economic Analysis Group.

Composite Index
  February 2002 March 2002 April 2002 May 2002 June 2002 July 2002 Last month of data available
       % change
Composite leading indicator (1992=100) 170.9 173.1 175.1 176.3 177.2 177.6 0.2
Housing index (1992=100)1 126.7 129.9 131.3 132.0 127.6 125.8 -1.4
Business and personal services employment ('000) 2,517 2,529 2,535 2,541 2,545 2,545 0.0
S&P/TSX stock price index (1975=1,000) 7,457 7,650 7,697 7,691 7,591 7,384 -2.7
Money supply, M1 ($ millions, 1992)2 106,657 107,258 107,423 107,312 107,331 108,065 0.7
US composite leading indicator (1992=100)3 108.6 109.2 109.7 110.0 110.2 110.3 0.1
Manufacturing              
Average workweek (hours) 38.9 39.0 39.0 39.1 39.0 39.0 0.0
New orders, durables ($ millions, 1992)4 20,080 20,079 20,378 20,809 21,417 21,827 1.9
Shipments/inventories of finished goods4 1.65 1.66 1.68 1.69 1.71 1.73 0.02 5
Retail trade              
Furniture and appliance sales ($ millions, 1992)4 1,673 1,701 1,730 1,750 1,768 1,773 0.3
Other durable goods sales ($ millions, 1992)4 7,336 7,484 7,668 7,755 7,787 7,758 -0.4
Unsmoothed composite 175.7 177.0 177.5 176.7 178.9 178.0 -0.5
1Composite index of housing starts (units) and house sales (multiple listing service).
2Deflated by the Consumer Price Index for all items.
3The figures in this row reflect data published in the month indicated, but the figures themselves refer to data for the month immediately preceding.
4The figures in this row reflect data published in the month indicated, but the figures themselves refer to data for two preceding months.
5Difference from previous month.


Home | Search | Contact Us | Français Return to top of page
Date Modified: 2008-11-16 Important Notices