The Globe and Mail reports in its Wednesday edition that the Canadian economy lost momentum after a roaring start to the year, reinforcing economists' expectations that the Bank of Canada is on track to cut interest rates in the coming months. A Canadian Press dispatch to The Globe says that Statistics Canada reported Tuesday that real gross domestic product rose 0.2 per cent in February. That followed a 0.5-per-cent gain in January. "Today's GDP report confirmed our expectations that the January surge in output was temporary, and in no way marked an inflection point for the growth backdrop in Canada that remains very weak," RBC economist Claire Fan said in a note. Although the economy continues to expand, economists say the latest data reinforce the idea that the growth is sluggish as higher interest rates weigh on consumer and business spending decisions. That will likely land as good news for the Bank of Canada, which is looking for continued evidence that the economy and inflation are responding to tighter monetary policy. "The loss of momentum as the quarter progressed is the bigger take-away from this report. That puts additional pressure on the BoC to begin cutting as soon as June," wrote BMO's Benjamin Reitzes.