Canada's 1Q retail sales up 6 percent

OTTAWA, July 14 (UPI) -- Canadian retail sales in the first quarter of 2008 rose 6 percent over the same period a year ago to $92.5 billion, Statistics Canada reported Monday.

Of all commodity groups, only housewares posted a slight decline, the agency said.

Sales of automotive fuels rose 20.5 percent compared with the first quarter of 2007 and accounted for almost 12 cents of every retail dollar spent in the first quarter, StatsCan said.

The first quarter of 2008 saw Canadians spent 6 percent more on food and beverages over the same period in 2007.

Based on the continuing strength of the housing market, sales of furniture, home furnishings and electronics were up 6.5 percent over the same period in 2007, the report said.

"The strong increase of 7.6 percent in new car sales over the same quarter in 2007 was almost completely offset by a decline in truck sales," StatsCan said.