(Ottawa) Canadian retail sales increased 0.7% to 66.8 billion in Canada in April, Statistics Canada says.
The organization says sales increased in seven of the nine subsectors it tracks. Sales at gas stations and fuel merchants notably rose 4.5%.
Sales at food and beverage retailers also rose 1.9%. Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 2.2%, while sales at new car dealers fell 2.9%.
Core retail sales — which exclude gas stations, fuel dealers and automobile and vehicle parts dealers — rose 1.4% in April.
In volume terms, retail sales rose 0.5%.
Statistics Canada says its preliminary estimate for retail sales shows a 0.6% decline in May, but cautioned that figure will be revised.
