Manufacturing sales increased 2% in August from July, at their fastest rate in over a year, Statistics Canada reported Friday.
But the federal agency also reported that retail sales of cars and truck in the same month fell.
Statistics Canada said the value of manufacturing sales reached $45.1 billion. The gains were widespread, but the increase was strongest in motor vehicles and in petroleum and coal product manufacturing. StatsCan attributed the gains to higher volumes, not higher prices.
Sales rose 13.9% to $4 billion in the motor vehicle manufacturing industry as August production increased following widespread plant shutdowns in July. Manufacturing sales increased in Ontario, Quebec, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Nova Scotia, but fell in the other provinces.
Inventories increased 1.3% to $60 billion. New orders were up 5.3% to $45.9 billion.
Francis Fong, an economist with TD Economics, said in a commentary that manufacturing sales no doubt will be affected by the rise in the Canadian dollar and weak U.S. demand.
With regards to vehicle sales, Statistics Canada reported that sales of new trucks and passenger cars fell 4.8% in August to 128,764.
Truck sales fell 5.2% to 73,002 after four straight monthly increases and cars dropped 4.3% to 55,762.
North American-built car sales declined 5.7%, while sales of overseas-built cars fell 2.6%
Related Stories
