(Adds details from report)
OTTAWA, April 15 (Reuters) - Canadian manufacturing sales
tumbled more than expected in February, giving back some of
their recent strength as sales of vehicles and petroleum
products dropped, data from Statistics Canada showed on Friday.
Sales fell 3.3 percent, outstripping economists' forecasts
for a decline of 1.5 percent and breaking a three-month run of
gains. Volumes fell 2.0 percent.
While sales were down in 16 out of 21 sectors, a drop-off in
motor vehicle and petroleum and coal product sales accounted for
over two-thirds of the decrease.
Vehicle sales slumped 10.5 percent, reflecting a smaller
than usual gain in unadjusted sales. On an unadjusted basis,
sales for the sector were at their highest level since March
2007.
Sales of petroleum and coal products tumbled 12.6 percent,
the ninth consecutive month of declines as prices continued to
fall.
Overall inventories fell 0.7 percent to the lowest level in
nearly a year, while new orders declined 8.1 percent in the
largest drop since last February.
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Graphic - Canadian manufacturing sales http://link.reuters.com/nem27s
Graphic - Canada economic dashboard http://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/15/sc-canada/index.html
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