Ottawa, Rajab 12, 1439, March 29, 2018, SPA -- The economy of Canada unexpectedly shrank by 0.1 percent in January, Statistics Canada (Statscan) data showed Thursday, in a clear sign that first-quarter growth likely will be weaker than the Bank of Canada predicted. The January drop in gross domestic product (GDP), the first since a similar decline last August, followed a 0.2 percent gain in December. The output of goods-producing industries fell 0.4 percent in January as unscheduled maintenance shutdowns at some oil facilities helped cut non-conventional extraction by 7.1 percent. Real-estate and rental and leasing declined by 0.5 percent in January, when tougher mortgage lending rules, designed to limit hot housing markets, took effect. In January, the Bank of Canada forecast first-quarter annualized GDP growth of 2.5 percent, but likely will revise lower that estimate. The central bank, worried about housing and high levels of consumer debt, has raised interest rates three times since last July and says future increases will be dependent on economic data. --SPA 22:23 LOCAL TIME 19:23 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w654592