Machinery and equipment led wholesale sales growth in August: StatsCan
Canadian Plastics
Economy Plastics Industry Economic Changes/ForecastBuoyed by gains in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, wholesale sales in Canada edged up 0.2% to $53.1 billion in August 2014, according to Statistics Canada.
Buoyed by gains in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, wholesale sales in Canada edged up 0.2% to $53.1 billion in August 2014, according to Statistics Canada.
“The machinery, equipment and supplies subsector recorded the largest gain in August, rising 3.6% to a record high $11.3 billion, on the strength of gains in all industries,” StatsCan said. “The largest contributor was the computer and communications equipment and supplies industry (+5.7%), which rose for the fourth time in five months.” Following declines in the two previous months, StatsCan said, sales rose in both the construction, forestry, mining, and industrial machinery, equipment and supplies industry – up 2.7% – as well as the farm, lawn and garden machinery and equipment industry, which were up 5.1%.
But the news wasn’t all good. “The motor vehicle and parts subsector declined 3.7% to $9.2 billion, offsetting most of the 4.5% increase recorded in July,” StatsCan said. “Exports, imports, and manufacturing sales of motor vehicles also declined in August.”
Regionally, sales increased in four provinces in August, which together represented 67% of total wholesale sales in Canada. Ontario accounted for much of the gain. “Sales in Ontario increased for a fifth consecutive month, rising 0.5% to $26.0 billion in August, despite a decline in the motor vehicle and parts subsector,” StatsCan said. “One of the main contributors to the increase in August was the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector.”
In Newfoundland and Labrador, meanwhile, sales increased 10.6% to $422 million. “Sales rose 1.1% to $2.0 billion in Saskatchewan, following a 6.3% decline in July. The machinery, equipment and supplies subsector was a large contributor to the gain,” StatsCan said. “Following three consecutive monthly gains, sales decreased 0.5% to $9.6 billion in Quebec…sales in British Columbia fell 0.6% to $5.1 billion…and decreased in New Brunswick (-1.7%), Nova Scotia (-0.9%) and Prince Edward Island (-4.2%).”
