Statistics Canada reported Tuesday that manufacturing sales in June slipped C$713 million (US$724.5 million), or 1.5 percent, to C$45.3 billion (US$46 million), the lowest level since November 2010. Sales have declined for three consecutive months after growing steadily since May 2009.
Sales of durable goods declined 1.9 percent in June, as 15 out of 21 manufacturing industries saw lower sales. Sales in the primary metals sector fell 1.6 percent from May to June, but were up 15.1 percent from June 2010. Meanwhile, fabricated metal product sales rose edged up 0.1 percent month-on-month in June and rose 4 percent from the previous year.
As for overall inventory levels, after eight consecutive months of growth, inventories were unchanged in June, remaining at their highest level since April 2009. Unfilled orders advance 3.4 percent in June, the sixth consecutive monthly increase. The largest decrease occurred in the primary metal industry, where unfilled orders fell 9.1 percent from May.