Canadian retail sales edged up slightly in June, boosted by a gain in the usually volatile auto sector, but the underlying trend remained weak, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday.
Retail sales rose 0.6% to C$63.8 billion ($48.62 billion) in June, slightly above analysts’ forecasts for a 0.5% increase.
Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers climbed 3.0% after falling 0.4% in May, reflecting an unwinding of supply chain disruptions that had weighed on the sector.
Excluding autos, retail sales were flat, Statistics Canada said. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline and motor vehicles, rose a modest 0.2%.
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