OTTAWA – Retail sales in Canada were better than expected in April as they rose 0.8 per cent to $48.6 billion for the month.
Excluding sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers, retail sales climbed 1.5 per cent.
Economists had expected an overall gain of 0.2 per cent and an increase of 0.7 per cent, excluding autos, according to Thomson Reuters.
Statistics Canada says retail sales were up in nine of 11 subsectors tracked by the agency, with the largest increase in dollar terms at general merchandise stores where sales gained 2.1 per cent.
Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers fell 1.0 per cent in April due to lower sales at new and used car dealers.
Retail sales in volume terms were up 0.3 per cent.
