OTTAWA, Dec. 18 (UPI) -- Wholesale trade sales rose 1.4 percent to $50.5 billion in October, climbing for the fourth consecutive month, Statistics Canada reported Wednesday.
The largest gains were in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, where sales climbed 5.6 percent to $11.2 billion.
That was the largest one-month surge in the category since September 2003, StatsCan said.
Gains were also posted in construction, forestry, mining, and industrial equipment and supplies.
Just before the holidays, wholesale trade sales rose 9.8 percent in the home entertainment and household appliance subsector.
In the farm subsector, wholesale sales climbed 12 percent for the sixth consecutive increase.
After three months of increases, sales in the motor vehicle and parts subsector dropped 1.4 percent.
Lower sales of motor vehicles, down 2.6 percent "accounted for the decline," StatsCan said.
