Retail sales decline in January

Retail sales decreased 0.6 percent to $69.4 billion in January, StatCan reports. Sales were down in three of nine subsectors and were led by decreases at motor vehicle and parts dealers. Sales in LBM and garden categories were 1.5 percent below the previous month and 0.5 below January 2024. Core retail sales—which exclude fuel and automotive categories—were down 0.2 percent in January.