OTTAWA: Canadian wholesale trade rose more than expected in April, led by the machinery industry, but only two other sectors showed gains, data from Statistics Canada showed on Tuesday. The 1.0 percent increase topped economists’ estimates for a gain of 0.5 percent, while the national statistics agency revised March up to a 1.2 percent rise from an initially reported 0.9 percent. Of the seven major sectors, the three with April gains accounted for 41 percent of total sales. Stripping out the effects of price changes, overall volume was up 0.7 percent.
Sales rose 7.3 percent in the machinery, equipment and supplies sector due to an increase in purchases of farm, lawn and garden items. The food, beverage and tobacco sector rose 1.5 percent, its third monthly gain in a row on higher food sales, while sales of farm products rose 5.2 percent. Sales of motor vehicles and parts fell 1.7 percent, the sector’s third consecutive month of declines. Excluding autos, overall wholesale trade rose 1.7 percent.
