Retail sales edge up in January

Retail sales increased 1.4 percent to $66.4 billion in January, StatCan reports. Sales increased in seven of nine subsectors, representing 88.7 percent of retail trade. The increase was led by higher sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers (up 3.0 percent) and gasoline stations and fuel vendors (which rose by 2.9 percent). Sales in LBM and garden categories rose by 1.5 percent from December but remained 8.4 percent below January 2022 levels.