Canada Wholesale Sales Estimated to Have Dropped in August

Robb M. Stewart

OTTAWA--Canadian wholesale trade weakened last month, with an advance estimate pointing to a pullback in sales.

Statistics Canada's early tally of wholesale receipts points to a 1.5% decline in August sales from the month before, which would mark a retreat after rising sales the previous two months.

The estimates show that the decline mainly reflects lower activity in agricultural supplies, as well as a decline for motor vehicle and parts wholesalers, the data agency said Friday. The data doesn't cover sales of petroleum products.

The drop in wholesale sales contrasts with activity in retail and factory activity for the month. Statistics Canada's advance data indicates manufacturing sales rose 1.1% rise in August, a recovery sales the month before fell for the first time in six months. The agency estimated retail sales also rebounded with growth of 1.3% from a month prior, after a 0.7% fall in July marked the first monthly decline of 2026.

The early look at wholesale sales was based on a weighted response rate to the data agency's survey of about 69%. Statistics Canada is scheduled to release official wholesale data Oct. 15.

Sales in the wholesale sector rose 0.3% between June and July, following a stronger 2.8% rise a month earlier, led by building materials and supplies and sales of metal products. In volume terms, wholesale trade was down 0.6% in July.

Wholesalers--the largest component of Canada's services sector--connect farmers or manufacturers that produce goods with companies and public institutions that use them. They also import goods from other countries and redistribute them within Canada. Statistics Canada's wholesale measure excludes petroleum and oilseed and grain sales.

Statistics Canada has previously estimated industry-level gross domestic product was essentially unchanged in July, suggesting a soft start to the quarter after the economy expanded in the second quarter at the fastest pace since the start of 2023. Renewed trade tensions between Canada and the U.S., along with gasoline prices that remain elevated, have clouded the outlook for growth and heightened inflation risk.

Write to Robb M. Stewart at robb.stewart@wsj.com

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September 25, 2026 09:02 ET (13:02 GMT)