Statistics Canada says wholesale sales up 0.1 per cent to $54.8 billion in April

OTTAWA – Statistics Canada says wholesale sales edged up 0.1 per cent to $54.8 billion in April.

The increase was the first after two consecutive monthly declines.

Economists had expected a gain of 0.5 per cent, according to Thomson Reuters.

Statistics Canada says there were gains in three of seven subsectors, led by the miscellaneous group which posted the largest gain in dollar terms for the month as it gained 5.2 per cent to $7.1 billion.

Sales in the food, beverage and tobacco subsector rose 0.7 per cent to $10.6 billion, while the personal and household goods subsector climbed 0.7 per cent to a record high of $8.0 billion.

In volume terms, wholesale sales increased 0.2 per cent.