Wholesale trade
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Wholesale sales rose 0.2% in June to $47.8 billion following a 2.0% advance in May. In June, four of the seven subsectors, representing about half of the total wholesale sales, posted gains.
Chart description: Wholesale sales increase in June
After removing the effect of price changes, wholesale sales in volume terms declined 0.5% in June. This primarily reflected higher prices for the imported products sold by wholesalers. This was partly attributable to the depreciation of the Canadian dollar relative to the American dollar during the month.
In June, higher sales in the agricultural supplies and the metal service centres industries were partially offset by lower sales in several other industries.
Sales of agricultural supplies continue to increase
In dollar terms, the miscellaneous subsector (+3.5%) registered the highest increase in June. This increase reflects higher sales in the agricultural supplies industry (+15.1%). Wholesalers in this industry have been benefiting from strong global demand and increasing prices of fertilizer.
On the strength of the metal service centres industry (+6.9%), the building material and supplies subsector rose 2.1% in June following two consecutive declines.
Other subsectors that reported growth were farm products (+6.3%) and food, beverages and tobacco products (+0.2%).
The largest decline in June occurred in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector (-1.9%). Almost all of the industries in this subsector reported lower sales.
The personal and household goods subsector fell 1.7%. Sales in this subsector have been relatively flat since the beginning of 2010.
The motor vehicle and parts subsector declined 0.5%, mainly reflecting a 2.0% decrease in the new motor vehicle parts and accessories industry.
Sales up in most provinces
Wholesale sales were up in eight provinces in June.
Wholesalers in Alberta contributed the most to the increase in dollar terms, followed by wholesalers in Saskatchewan.
In Alberta, sales increased 3.0% to $5.9 billion in June. This increase was mainly the result of higher sales in the building material and supplies and the miscellaneous subsectors.
Note to readers
All data in this release are seasonally adjusted and in current dollars, unless otherwise noted.
Wholesale sales expressed in volume are calculated by deflating current dollar values using import and industry product price indexes. Since many of the goods sold by wholesalers are imported, fluctuations in the value of the Canadian dollar can have an important influence on the prices of goods bought and sold by wholesalers.
The wholesale sales series in chained (2002) dollars is a chained Fisher volume index with 2002 as the reference year.
Both Saskatchewan and Manitoba showed gains of 3.6% in June, reflecting higher sales in the agricultural supplies industry.
Declines were observed in Ontario (-0.9%) and British Columbia (-1.9%).
Inventories up slightly
Inventories increased 0.1% in June to $56.1 billion. Increases were reported by wholesalers in 15 of the 25 industries, led by pharmaceuticals and pharmacy supplies (+1.0%), new motor vehicle parts and accessories (+1.2%), and metal service centres (+1.3%).
The inventory-to-sales ratio remained unchanged at 1.18 in June.
The inventory-to-sales ratio is a measure of the time in months required to exhaust inventories if sales were to remain at their current level.
Chart description: Inventories increase in June
Available on CANSIM: tables 081-0011 to 081-0013.
Definitions, data sources and methods: survey number 2401.
The June 2011 issue of Wholesale Trade (63-008-X, free) will soon be available.
Wholesale trade data for July will be released on September 20.
To obtain data, or for more information, contact Client Services (613-951-3549; toll-free 1-877-421-3067; wholesaleinfo@statcan.gc.ca). To enquire about the concepts, methods or data quality of this release, contact Farzana Choudhury (613-951-2020; farzana.choudhury@statcan.gc.ca), Distributive Trades Division.
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