(Ottawa) Canadian retail sales increased by 0.7% to reach 66.8 billion in Canada in April, indicates Statistics Canada.
The organization says sales increased in seven of the nine subsectors it tracks. Sales at gas stations and fuel merchants notably increased by 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 merchants and automobile vehicle and parts dealers — increased 1.4% in April.
In volume terms, retail sales increased by 0.5%.
Statistics Canada says its preliminary estimate for retail sales shows a decline of 0.6% in May, but warned that this figure will be revised.