Canadian wholesale sales rose for a third month in June, exceeding economist forecasts on gains in building materials and farm supplies.

Sales climbed 0.6% to $53.0 billion, Statistics Canada said Wednesday...

The data adds to reports of growth in Canada’s merchandise trade surplus, building permits and manufacturing sales, suggesting the world’s 11th economy rebounded in the second quarter after a tough winter disrupted production. The central bank has said it will take about two years for the economy to return to full output as investment and exports grow.

Five of seven major wholesaling categories, representing 69% of sales, posted increases. Building materials and supplies rose 2.2% to a record $7.60 billion, Statistics Canada said.

Agricultural supply sales rose 4.9%, contributing to a 3.1% gain in the miscellaneous category to $6.88 billion.

Those gains were curbed by a 2.4% decline in motor vehicle and parts sales to $9.06 billion. Excluding that category, wholesaling rose 1.2% in June...

The volume of wholesale sales, which removes the impact of price changes, rose 0.7% in June, Statistics Canada said.

The June increase was slower than the 2.3% gain in May and April’s 1.4% advance.

This has been excerpted from 20 August 2014 article by Bloomberg News.