Stats Canada says manufacturing sales down 2.1% in June

Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 2.1 per cent to $69.6 billion in June, as sales for the transportation equipment, chemical product and primary metal subsectors moved lower.

Overall, the agency says sales were down in 17 of the 21 subsectors.

Sales in the transportation equipment subsector dropped 2.9 per cent to $11.0 billion in June as sales of motor vehicle parts fell 5.6 per cent and the aerospace product and parts group lost 2.9 per cent.

The chemical products subsector fell 5.8 per cent to $5.2 billion, driven by lower sales of pesticide, fertilizer and other agricultural chemicals.

The primary metals subsector saw sales decline 2.7 per cent to $5.5 billion.