Canadian manufacturing sales up

The machinery sector led Canadian manufacturing sales to rise 2 percent to $49.6 billion in November, Statistics Canada reported Thursday. Machining sales jumped 13.4 percent to $3.4 billion while automotive manufacturers reported a 7.1 percent sales increase to $4.1 billion, the agency said. "Sales in the petroleum and coal product industry advanced 3.9 percent to $7.6 billion, the fourth increase in five months," StatsCan said. "The overall sales increases were somewhat offset by declines in the computer and electronic product industry, down 11 percent to $1.2 billion." Among the 10 provinces, only New Brunswick posted a monthly decline in manufacturing sales of 4 percent. Ontario led the pack, with manufacturers reporting a 2 percent increase in sales to $22.5 billion, the agency said.