Canadian retail gets rocky start

OTTAWA — Canadian retail sales rose 3.6% in January from the previous year, and the three-month growth trend edged ahead of the 12-month trend for the first time in more than a year. Yet the picture of recovery is mixed, according to analyst Ed Strapagiel, as much of the retail resilience for the month was due to a surge in auto dealership sales. The store sector alone saw further decline, showing signs of more softness to come. Building materials and garden supplies were strong, however, up 7.3% in January and up 6.7% year over year.