(Adds details of release, background)
OTTAWA, March 16 (Reuters) - Canadian factory sales in January fell by 1.0 percent, the biggest drop in six months, on weakness in motor vehicles as well as aerospace products and parts, Statistics Canada said on Friday.
The decline, greater than the 0.8 percent retreat forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts, was the biggest since the 2.7 percent plunge in July 2017.
Overall, sales were down in 14 of 21 industries, representing 56 percent of the manufacturing sector. Volumes fell by 1.1 percent.
Unusual shutdowns of auto assembly plants that reduced production helped cut sales of motor vehicles by 8.0 percent while sales in the aerospace products and parts industry decreased by 9.5 percent.
New orders edged up 0.1 percent while unfilled orders rose by 0.6 percent on greater demand in aerospace.
<^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Graphic - Canadian manufacturing sales
http://link.reuters.com/nem27s Graphic - Canada economic snapshot
http://tmsnrt.rs/2e8hNWV
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