(Adds details of release, background)
OTTAWA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Canadian manufacturing sales
dropped by an unexpectedly larger 1.1 percent in October,
marking a third consecutive monthly fall, on broad-based
weakness, Statistics Canada said on Tuesday.
Market analysts polled by Reuters had forecast sales would
shrink by 0.5 percent from September. It was the first time
Canada had posted three consecutive month-on-month declines
since July 2012.
The report added to other data showing Canada's economy is
struggling to shake off the effects of anemic crude prices,
which are trading at levels not seen since the last recession.
Petroleum and coal sales fell for the fifth month in a row,
dropping by 5.7 percent to their lowest level since April 2009
on greater-than-usual maintenance and other technical work at
refineries.
Sales in the volatile aerospace sector dropped 10.3 percent
while machinery sales fell 4.6 percent.
Unfilled orders fell 1.3 percent while new orders slipped
1.4 percent. The inventory-to-sales ratio climbed to 1.46, the
highest since the 1.48 recorded in August 2009.
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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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