Canada Consumer Sentiment Falls on Quebec Separation Talk

Canadian consumer confidence continued to decline last week as an election campaign in the French-speaking province of Quebec raises the prospect of a referendum on independence.

The Bloomberg Nanos Canadian Confidence Index fell to 58.0 in the week ending March 21 from a prior reading of 58.4. Sentiment in Quebec dropped 1.1 points to 56.0 amid the campaign and with employment and inflation data suggesting the economy in the country’s second-most populous province is struggling. Confidence in British Columbia also declined as truckers continued to strike against Port Metro Vancouver, affecting companies such as Vancouver-based Canfor Corp.