Strong car sales helped push Canadian retail trade up by 0.7 percent in May to $41.98 billion, eclipsing April's record sales, Statistics Canada reported on Wednesday.
Sales by motor vehicle and parts dealers, which account for just under one quarter of total retail sales, were up 2.5%. Excluding this sector, retail sales rose 0.1%, and excluding the auto sector and gasoline, retail sales were down 0.3%. The figures are adjusted for seasonal factors.
Statistics Canada's New Motor Vehicle Sales Survey had reported a record 197,740 units sold in May.
The median forecasts in a Reuters survey of analysts were for a 0.6% rise in overall retail sales and a 0.3% gain excluding autos and parts. On Friday, Statistics Canada had reported a 2.2% gain in wholesale trade, marked by a 9.8% jump in motor vehicles and parts.
In volume terms, relevant for calculating real moves in gross domestic product, retail sales rose by 0.4%.
