Retail sales fell for the second consecutive month, according to the latest numbers from Statistics Canada. They were down 1.1 percent to $52.5 billion in January, as sales declined in six of 11 subsectors.
Core retail sales—which exclude gasoline stations and motor vehicle and parts dealers—also posted their second consecutive decline, falling 1.4 percent in January because of lower sales at clothing and clothing accessories stores, furniture and home furnishings stores, and sporting goods, hobby, book, and music stores.
However, the building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers subsector remained strong, up 2.9 percent from the previous month, and up a healthy 26 percent year over year.
