Investing.com - Core retail sales in Canada were flat in December, confounding expectations for a fifth consecutive monthly increase, official data showed on Tuesday.
In a report, Statistics Canada said core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales, were flat in December, disappointing expectations for a 0.2% increase.
November’s figure was revised up to a 0.4% gain from a previously reported 0.3% increase.
Total retail sales edged down by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in December, broadly in line with expectations, after rising by a revised 0.4% in November.
It was the first decline in five months.
Declines were reported in 7 of 11 subsectors, representing 61% of retail sales.
Most store types typically associated with holiday shopping registered weaker results in December.
Sales at general merchandise stores decreased 1.1%, reflecting lower sales at department stores. Sales at department stores declined 1.5%, down a fourth consecutive month.
Sporting goods, hobby, book and music store sales fell for the first time in five months, down 3.4% in December. The decrease largely reflected weaker sales at sporting goods stores.
Following the release of the data, the Canadian dollar held on to losses against its U.S. counterpart, with USD/CAD gaining 0.28% to trade at 0.9964.
In a report, Statistics Canada said core retail sales, which exclude automobile sales, were flat in December, disappointing expectations for a 0.2% increase.
November’s figure was revised up to a 0.4% gain from a previously reported 0.3% increase.
Total retail sales edged down by a seasonally adjusted 0.2% in December, broadly in line with expectations, after rising by a revised 0.4% in November.
It was the first decline in five months.
Declines were reported in 7 of 11 subsectors, representing 61% of retail sales.
Most store types typically associated with holiday shopping registered weaker results in December.
Sales at general merchandise stores decreased 1.1%, reflecting lower sales at department stores. Sales at department stores declined 1.5%, down a fourth consecutive month.
Sporting goods, hobby, book and music store sales fell for the first time in five months, down 3.4% in December. The decrease largely reflected weaker sales at sporting goods stores.
Following the release of the data, the Canadian dollar held on to losses against its U.S. counterpart, with USD/CAD gaining 0.28% to trade at 0.9964.