Canadian wholesale down again in July

Canadian wholesale trade fell for a second consecutive month in July, down 0.6 percent to $49.5 billion, Statistics Canada reported Friday. Among the seven sectors, five of them representing 85 percent of total sales reported declines, the agency said. "The largest sales decrease in dollar terms was in the food, beverage and tobacco subsector, where sales fell 1.5 percent to $9.3 billion in July," StatsCan said. "Sales in the motor vehicle and parts subsector decreased 0.8 percent, reflecting a 1.4 percent decline in the motor vehicle industry, which registered its first loss after five months of growth." Wholesale trade in Ontario, which accounts for close to 50 percent of total sales, decreased 1.4 percent in July after five months of consecutive increases, the report said.