October manufacturing sales down 1.1%: StatsCan

Ottawa – Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 1.1% to $50.4 billion in October, the third consecutive decrease.

Economists had expected a drop of 0.5%, according to Thomson Reuters.

In constant dollar terms, Canadian manufacturing sales were down 1%.

The drop was due to lower sales of petroleum and coal products, aerospace products and parts and machinery industries.

Sales were down 5.7% to $4.5 billion in the petroleum and coal product industry, due in part to maintenance work at some refineries that began in September.

The aerospace product and parts industry fell 10.3% to $1.6 billion, while machinery sales fell 4.6% in October to $2.8 billion.

© 2015 The Canadian Press