Manufacturing sales fell 0.8 per cent to $71.8 billion in June as the petroleum and coal product sector helped lead the way down, Statistics Canada said Monday.
The move lower came as sales fell in eight of the 21 industries tracked by the agency and followed a 1.1 per cent drop in May.
Statistics Canada said sales in the petroleum and coal industry fell 7.8 per cent in June as concerns over the global economic slowdown led to lower demand for energy products and contributed to the lower sales.
Wood product sales fell 7.2 per cent in June, while aerospace product and parts dropped 16.8 per cent. Meanwhile, sales of motor vehicles rose 13.8 per cent.
Overall sales in constant dollars edged up 0.1 per cent in June.
“Manufacturing sales volumes only inched up in June and, with the manufacturing surveys on both sides of the border weakening in recent months, the outlook is growing even more challenging,” said Stephen Brown, senior Canada economist at Capital Economics.
The report came a day ahead of the release of Statistics Canada’s consumer price index for July.
In a separate report Monday, Statistics Canada said wholesale sales rose 0.1 per cent to $80.7 billion in June, boosted by the miscellaneous and motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsectors.
The agency said the miscellaneous goods sector rose for the fourth time in five months as it gained 3.5 per cent, boosted by a 15.5 per cent gain in the agricultural supplies industry, reflecting the demand for Canadian fertilizer because of the ongoing conflict in Ukraine.
Sales of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories gained 3.1 per cent due to higher sales in the motor vehicle industry, which added 5.3 per cent.
Meanwhile, the personal and household goods subsector fell 3.5 per cent as textile, clothing and footwear dropped 12.0 per cent, pharmaceuticals and pharmacy supplies lost 2.5 per cent and personal goods fell 6.1 per cent.
Statistics Canada said wholesale sales in constant dollars fell 0.1 per cent in June.
The Canadian Press
