Retail in decline as year ends

TORONTO ― The 12-month trend for Canadian retail has been a steady decline in 2015, according to analyst Ed Strapagiel, who says that the year will end “on a whimper.” Reviewing the latest StatCan data, taken not on a year-over-year basis, Strapagiel says the trend, which is even more pronounced in the last three months, is likely to continue into 2016. As a result, the total retail sales gain for the outgoing year may be as little as 2.3%, half the 4.6% annual rise for 2014. U.S. economic recovery could trickle up north during 2016, Strapagiel says, but it will be a slow-going process.