MNI DATA IMPACT:Canada Sept Factory Sales 1.5%, Aug Revised Up

Canadian factory sales rose 1.5% to CAD58.3 billion in September and the industry's capacity use was the highest since well before the pandemic, government figures published Monday showed.

Statistics Canada also scaled back its estimate of the August sales decline to 1.4% from the initial 2%, another sign of momentum. Capacity utilization rose to 78.5% in September, the highest since November of last year and up from April's low of 54.3%.

Lumber sales rose 9.6% to a record CAD3.3 billion on higher prices and volumes, leading gains in 13 of 21 industry segments.

Sales remain 3.6% below their pre-pandemic level, leaving manufacturing weaker than the retail industry where volumes have returned to that mark. There are other signs that future gains may come including the first increase in unfilled orders in six months.

StatsCan is due to publish a flash estimate for October sales on Nov. 24.