Statistics Canada reports wholesale sales down in January as auto sector slips

Statistics Canada says wholesale sales fell in January as the motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector stepped back.

The agency says wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, dropped 1% to $85.2 billion.

The move came as sales in the motor vehicles and motor vehicles parts and accessories subsector fell 3.9% to $13.5 billion in January. 

Mineral, ore and precious metal wholesalers also posted a drop of 38.3 per cent to $941.5 million for January after rising 85.7% in December.

Sales in the food, beverage and tobacco subsector rose 1.6%  to $15.9 billion. 

In volume terms, wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain, fell 1.5 per cent in January.

Statistics Canada has started including oilseed and grain as well as the petroleum and petroleum products subsector as part of wholesale trade, but is excluding the data from its monthly analysis until there is enough historical data for comparison.