OTTAWA (CP) -- Manufacturing sales edged up 0.1 percent in February to $44.1 billion, their eighth increase in nine months.
Statistics Canada reports constant-dollar manufacturing sales increased 0.3 percent in February, their sixth straight monthly increase.
Sales of non-durable goods rose 0.4 percent, while durable goods dropped 0.3.
StatsCan says sales gains were reported in 12 of 21 industries, representing 42.7 percent of total sales.
Although 12 industries reported gains in February, the agency says they were largely offset by decreases in the remaining nine.
Sales by plastic and rubber product manufacturers rose 4.4 percent, while chemical product manufacturers reported a 4.3 percent gain.
At a 3.9 percent drop, the petroleum and coal products industry reported the largest decrease in February, with sales pushed down by a combination of factors, including lower prices and the impact of fires at two refineries.
The transportation equipment industry declined for a second month as motor vehicle manufacturing sales decreased 1.1 percent motor vehicle parts sales decreased 3.4.
