
Federal government posts $1.5B surplus for first two months of fiscal year
BNN Bloomberg
The federal government posted a budgetary surplus of $1.5 billion in April and May, the first two months of the 2023-24 fiscal year.
In its monthly fiscal monitor, the Finance Department says the result compared to a surplus of $5.3 billion during the same period in the previous fiscal year.
Revenues rose by $1.3 billion or 1.8 per cent due to higher interest and employment insurance premiums, on top of greater proceeds from personal income tax and a carbon pricing hike.
Expenses rose $3.9 billion or 6.6 per cent as the government paid out more returns under the pollution pricing framework as well as higher elderly benefits and transfers to other levels of government — all partly offset by the wind-down of COVID-19 income supports.

Oil prices rise and stocks fall as war with Iran still advances despite Trump’s talk of negotiations
U.S. markets ticked slightly lower and oil prices rose early Tuesday as the war in the Middle East continued a day after U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States had made progress in talks with the Islamic Republic to end the conflict.












