Retail sales edge down in November

Retail sales declined by 0.2 to $66.6 billion in November, StatCan reports. Sales were down in four of nine subsectors, led by decreases at food and beverage retailers, and in five provinces, with the biggest drop in Quebec. Core retail sales, which exclude fuel and automotive categories, were down 0.6 percent. LBM and garden sales amounted to $3.9 billion, down 0.1 percent from the previous month and 3.3 percent from November 2022.