Wholesale sales climbed more than expected in February, rising 1.6% to $48.5 billion on stronger motor-vehicle and machinery and equipment sales, Statistics Canada reported Monday.
Analysts polled by Bloomberg had expected wholesale sales to drop by 0.2%. They fell by a revised 1.1% in January.
The largest increase was in the motor vehicles and parts subsector. Sales rose 2.7% to $7.7 billion in February, reflecting higher sales in the motor-vehicle industry, which were up by 3.4%, the federal agency said.
Sales were up in all provinces except Quebec and Prince Edward Island.
Wholesalers in Ontario contributed most to the national increase, up 1.7%, the third advance in the past four months.
