(Ottawa) Two important indicators of the Canadian economy progressed last August.
Statistics Canada reports Monday that manufacturing sector sales increased 0.7% to $72.4 billion in August, while wholesale trade sales excluding petroleum, petroleum products and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereals, increased by 2.3% to 83 billion.
Statistics Canada says manufacturing sector sales were driven by the oil and coal, food and machinery subsectors. Sales of petroleum and coal products rose 10.5% to 8.4 billion in August on higher volumes and prices, while sales of food products rose 1.5% to set at 12.6 billion, the highest level ever recorded.
The federal agency attributes the overall monthly increase to rising prices, with sales in real terms falling 0.7% in August.
On the other hand, Statistics Canada states that the increase in wholesale sales was driven by the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector and by the miscellaneous subsector.
Sales in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector rose 5.2% to $18.6 billion in August, recording their first increase in three months, boosted by higher sales across the group industrial machinery and equipment for agriculture, lawn and garden.