(Adds details from report)
OTTAWA, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Canadian retail sales rose less
than expected in October as increased purchases of motor
vehicles and clothing were tempered by a decline at food stores,
data from Statistics Canada showed on Wednesday.
Sales edged up 0.1 percent, missing economists' forecasts
for a gain of 0.4 percent, while volumes fell 0.3 percent.
September was revised up slightly to a decline of 0.4 percent
from the originally reported 0.5 percent decrease.
Sales at motor vehicle and parts dealers rose 0.4 percent,
the eighth increase in nine months as Canadians bought more used
cars. Excluding sales of motor vehicles and parts, overall
retail sales were flat.
Clothing and accessories stores posted a 1.9 percent
increase, but purchases of food declined by 1.2 percent as there
were lower sales at supermarkets and stores selling alcohol.
Electronics and appliance stores recorded their fourth
consecutive month of decreases, with sales down 2.1 percent.
Sales in Alberta, home to the country's vast oil sands, were
down 0.8 percent, the third month of declines in a row as
Albertans spent less at food and clothing stores.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Graphic - Canada economic dashboard http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/sc-canada/index.html
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^>