Canadian manufacturing sales up in May

OTTAWA, July 16 (UPI) -- Manufacturing sales in Canada rose 2.7 percent to $51.4 billion in May, the federal Statistics Canada agency reported Wednesday.

The report said May marked the fourth increase in five months and the largest increase since March 2007.

Of 21 industry groups that represent 94 percent of the country's manufacturing, 16 groups reported gains, led by petroleum and coal products, StatsCan said. That group's 9.2 percent jump to $7.7 billion in May accounted for almost half of all manufacturing growth, the report said. In addition, prices for petroleum and coal increased 17 percent during the month.

Manufacturers of copper, iron, steel and aluminum products had another strong month, with sales rising 3.1 percent in May, the seventh consecutive month of increases, StatsCan said. Sales figures for the group weren't included in the summary.

Despite the gains, the agency said May's sales remained below year-earlier levels and well below the peak of $53.1 billion in March 2007.