OTTAWA, April 29 (Xinhua) -- Canada's real gross domestic product (GDP) rose 1.1 percent in February, the largest monthly growth rate since March 2021, as broad-based increases across most sectors contributed to the ninth consecutive monthly expansion in economic output, Statistics Canada announced Friday.

       Advance information indicated that real GDP increased 0.5 percent for March and 1.4 percent for the first quarter of 2022, said the national statistical office, adding that these estimates will be updated on May 31 with the release of the official GDP data.

       "Client-facing industries led the growth on continued reopening of activities and easing of restrictions put in place at the onset of Omicron variant," said the agency.

       Royal Bank of Canada economist Claire Fan said in a market report that the preliminary monthly GDP readings are tracking a 5.5 percent increase in the first quarter of 2022 on annualized basis.

       "That's higher than our current forecast of 3.5 percent and well above the 1.4 percent annualized contraction in the same quarter for U.S. GDP," Fan said.

       Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce economist Karyne Charbonneau forecasted that with another strong release in hand, the central bank of Canada has even more ammunition to justify a non-standard 50 basis point interest rate hike at the next meeting, and likely the one thereafter.