ROBERT SULLIVAN
A jump in gasoline prices in October caused retail sales to grow 0.8 per cent in the month for the fifth straight gain, although sales excluding gasoline edged down, Statistics Canada said Tuesday.
Markets had expected a 0.5-per-cent rise in sales, according to the median forecast in a Reuters poll.
Sales excluding autos and parts rose 0.9 per cent, but excluding gasoline fell 0.1 per cent.
Prices at the pump jumped 7.4 per cent from September. Sales were also up at furniture and home furnishings stores, auto dealers and miscellaneous retailers. They fell in department stores, supermarkets and clothing stores.
Although sales expanded across seven of 11 subsectors, total volumes slipped 0.2 per cent in October.