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Manufacturing sales down 0.7 per cent at $57.1 billion in October

Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 0.7 per cent to $57.1 billion in October as sales of transportation equipment moved lower, due in part to a strike at General Motors in the United States.

Economists had expected no change for October, according to financial markets data firm Refinitiv, but Statistics Canada says October had the second consecutive monthly decline in overall manufacturing sales.

Sales fell in 11 of 21 industries, representing 48.8 per cent of total manufacturing sales.

The transportation equipment sector fell 3.1 per cent to $11.0 billion in October as motor vehicle assembly and motor vehicle parts sales dropped due in part to the 40-day strike by the United Auto Workers strike at General Motors in the United States.

Sales of fabricated metal products dropped 8.2 per cent to $3.3 billion.

Offsetting some of the losses was an increase of 6.2 per cent in petroleum and coal product sales and a gain of 1.9 per cent in the food industry.