September shows slight wholesale sales gains

Wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) rose 0.4 percent to $83.1 billion in September. Sales increased in four of the seven subsectors, led by the motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector and the food, beverage, and tobacco subsector, says Statistics Canada. On an annual basis, wholesale sales (excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons and excluding oilseed and grain) were 1.6 percent higher in September compared with the same month one year earlier.

Sales in the building material and supplies sector decreased 6.6 percent to $22.7 billion; sales in the electrical, plumbing, heating, and air-conditioning equipment and supplies sector decreased 3.1 percent to $6.8 billion; and sales in the lumber, millwork, hardware, and other building supplies sector decreased to $10.5 billion.

Sales in Ontario (+1.2 percent) lead provincial gains for the second consecutive month, with growth also observed in Quebec (+0.8 percent) and Manitoba (+3.8 percent).

September inventories fell 1.6 percent to $126.2 billion in September with decreases reported in four of the seven subsectors. Machinery, equipment, and supplies was down 3.8 percent to $36.8 billion and building materials and supplies was down 4.5 percent to $22.7 billion.

Decreased inventories were reported in four of the seven subsectors, led by the machinery, equipment, and supplies subsector (-3.8 percent to $36.8 billion), followed by the building material and supplies subsector (-4.5 percent to $22.7 billion).