(Adds details of release, background)
OTTAWA, June 22 (Reuters) - Canadian retail sales in April
rose by 0.9 percent from March to hit a record C$44.28 billion
($34.59 billion), thanks largely to higher sales at gasoline
stations, Statistics Canada said on Wednesday.
The increase - the third in four months - matched the
forecast by analysts in a Reuters poll, while in volume terms,
April sales were flat. The previous record was the C$44.22
billion seen in February.
Overall, sales rose in seven of 11 subsectors, representing
64 percent of total retail sales. Gas stations posted a 6.0
percent increase in sales from March, the first advance since
June 2015, on higher prices.
Sales at car and parts dealers - the largest of the
subsectors - slipped by 0.3 percent, falling for the second
consecutive month. Excluding autos, overall sales climbed by 1.3
percent.
Purchases at furniture stores increased by 6.1 percent after
a 4.0 percent drop in March. Sales in food and beverage stores,
the second biggest subsector, inched up by 0.1 percent.
($1=$1.28 Canadian)
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Graphic - Canada economic dashboard http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/sc-canada/index.html
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