OTTAWA, Dec 15 (Reuters) - Canadian manufacturing sales unexpectedly fell by 0.8 percent in October from September on widespread weakness, indicating fourth-quarter growth could be sluggish, Statistics Canada data showed on Thursday.
Analysts polled by Reuters had expected sales to increase by 0.4 percent from September. The decline was the biggest since the 0.9 percent retreat in March 2016.
Sales fell in 15 of the 21 industries, representing 61 percent of the manufacturing sector. The volume of goods sold, a measure which strips out the effect of price changes and is closely watched by economists, plunged by 1.7 percent.
Primary metal sales sank by 2.4 percent while petroleum and coal products posted a 1.7 decline on lower volumes of product sold.
Canada's economy grew by 3.5 percent on an annualized basis in the third quarter after shrinking in the second quarter following a major wildfire in oil-producing Alberta. Economists expect fourth-quarter growth to be more modest.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Graphic - Canadian manufacturing sales
http://link.reuters.com/nem27s Graphic - Canada economic snapshot
http://tmsnrt.rs/2e8hNWV
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