FX.co ★ Canadian Retail Sales Set to Rebound In March

In March 2025, preliminary estimates suggest that retail sales in Canada likely increased by 0.7% compared to the previous month. This follows a 0.4% decrease in February. Retail sales amounted to C$69.4 billion, aligning with the initial projections and marking the second straight month of decreasing figures. Among nine subsectors, sales fell in four sectors, particularly driven by a 2.6% drop at motor vehicle and parts dealers, with declines recorded across all four categories in this subsector. Conversely, food and beverage retailers experienced a notable rise of 2.8%, and miscellaneous store retailers saw a 2.3% increase. Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations, fuel vendors, and motor vehicle and parts dealers, rose by 0.5% in February. Retail sales experienced declines in seven provinces, with Nova Scotia (-2.6%) and Quebec (-0.9%) at the forefront of the drops, while Manitoba enjoyed the largest increase at 1.8%. On an annual basis, retail turnover surged by 4.7% in February.