Manufacturing sales in Canada climb

Canadian manufacturing sales rose 0.7 percent to $48.6 billion in May, the second gain in five months, Statistics Canada said Tuesday. Sales rose in 11 of 21 industries, representing 57 percent of Canadian manufacturing, the data agency said. Sales of goods expected to last three years or more -- durable goods -- rose 1.3 percent in the month, while sales of non-durable goods rose 0.2 percent. StatsCan said the chemical industry posted the strongest gains with sales up $195 million to $4 billion in the month, the eighth increase in the past 12 months. Weather played a part. Due to a cold, wet spring, planting crops was delayed to later than normal, delaying the annual increase in fertilizer sales. Sales of primary metals rose 4 percent in the month to $3.5 billion after plunging 9.1 percent in April. Sales of machinery rose 3.8 percent. Sales of metal products climbed 3.4 percent. The sharpest decline was posted by the wood products industry, where sales fell 4.8 percent to $2.1 billion, the data agency said.