Canadian factory sales rose by 1.6 per cent in May, the most in a year, boosted by strong demand for motor vehicles and parts after auto plants that had temporarily shut down resumed production, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday.
Analysts in a Reuters poll had forecast a gain of 2.0 per cent. The increase was the largest since the 2.1 per cent advance in May 2018.
Sales in the transportation industry rose 8.1 per cent after a 5.8 per cent decline in April. Sales of motor vehicles jumped by 13.3 per cent, the highest month-on-month increase since November 2017, while motor vehicles parts recorded a 7.3 per cent gain.
Sales in the petroleum and coal industries rose for the fifth straight month, climbing 2.0 per cent.
While the increase was concentrated in Ontario, Statistics Canada said sales were up in six of the 10 provinces.
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