Sales edge up in June, but early estimates suggest drop in July
Retail sales in Canada increased by 0.6 per cent to $74.3 billion in June, with gains recorded in a broad swath of subsectors, said Statistics Canada Friday.
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But an initial flash estimate for the following month suggest sales fell by 0.8 per cent in July, the first decline in seven months.
Statistics Canada said this figure may be revised.
In June, general merchandise sales led the gains, rising 2.7 per cent. Seven out of nine subsectors also posted gains that month.
The largest drop in retail sales in June was at gasoline stations and fuel vendors, which posted a 4.1 per cent decline, the first drop in about four months. In volume terms, however, sales increased by 4.2 per cent in this subsector.
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Sales at food and beverage retailers were also down by 0.4 per cent. Statistics Canada officials said the decline was led by sales at supermarkets and other grocery retailers, which were down by 0.6 per cent in June following a 0.8 per cent increase in May.
In volume terms, retail sales increased by 1.5 per cent in June.