Statistics Canada says March manufacturing sales total $51 billion

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose 2.9 per cent to $51.0 billion in March, the second increase in six months.

The federal agency says the increase was helped by the production of aerospace products and parts and gains in the motor vehicle industry. Sales of fabricated metal products fell.

Economists had expected an increase of 1.2 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.

Statistics Canada says sales rose in 10 of 21 industries, representing approximately 60 per cent of all manufacturing.

In constant dollars, sales rose 2.9 per cent.

The result for February was also revised with updated information to show a drop of 2.2 per cent compared with an earlier reading of a decrease of 1.7 per cent.