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November 17, 2020WHOLESALE TRADE, SEPTEMBER 2020
MONTH-OVER-MONTH (seasonally adjusted, Sep 2020 vs Aug 2020)
In percentage terms,
- Nova Scotia Wholesale Trade decreased 5.6 per cent to $910.1 million
- Canada Wholesale Trade increased 0.9 per cent to $66.2 billion
- Seven provinces reported monthly increases in wholesale trade, with
- Quebec (2.8 per cent) reporting the largest gain
- Nova Scotia (-5.6 per cent) reported the largest decline
YEAR-OVER-YEAR (seasonally adjusted, Sep 2020 vs Sep 2019)
In percentage terms,
- Nova Scotia Wholesale Trade decreased 2.0 per cent
- Canada Wholesale Trade increased 3.0 per cent
- Six provinces reported monthly increases in wholesale trade, with Manitoba (9.2 per cent) reporting the largest gain, and
- Alberta (-4.9 per cent) reporting the largest decline
YEAR-TO-DATE (seasonally adjusted, Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019)
- Nova Scotia Wholesale Trade decreased 3.5 per cent to $7.9 billion
- Canada Wholesale Trade decreased 3.3 per cent to $553.3 billion
- Three provinces reported year to date increases in wholesale trade, with
- Prince Edward Island (2.9 per cent) reporting the largest gain
- Newfoundland and Labrador (-9.3 per cent) reported the largest decline
QUARTER over QUARTER (seasonally adjusted, 2020Q3 vs 2020Q2)
- Nova Scotia Wholesale Trade increased 3.0 per cent to $2.8 billion,
- Canada Wholesale Trade increased 2.6 per cent to $197.4 billion.
- Seven provinces reported quarter wholesale trade increases.
- Manitoba (8.3 per cent) reporting the largest increase
- Alberta (-3.0 per cent) reported the largest decline.
TRENDS
Nova Scotia Wholesale Trade has returned to its previous growth trend after the sharp decline brought about by the pandemic of early 2020. In September 2020 Wholesale trade ($910 million) was lower than in August ($964 million) but higher than in February ($865).
Canada Wholesale Trade has also returned to its previous growth trend after the sharp decline brought about by the pandemic of early 2020. In September 2020 Wholesale trade ($66.2 billion) was higher than in August ($65.6 billion) and February ($64.5 billion).
INVENTORIES (September 2020 vs August 2020)
Wholesale inventories increased by 0.7% to $90.7 billion in September.
“Inventories increased 1.9% in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector to $26.9 billion.
Inventories in the food, beverage and tobacco subsector rose 4.2% to $9.8 billion.
The inventory-to-sales ratio was unchanged at 1.37 from August to September. This has been the lowest level since August 2018. The inventory-to-sales ratio is a measure of the time (in months) required to exhaust inventories if sales were to remain at their current level. “ Statistics Canada
NOVA SCOTIA SECTORS
Year-to-Date (seasonally adjusted, Jan-Sep 2020 vs Jan-Sep 2019)
Nova Scotia Total wholesale trade decreased 3.5 per cent (-$290.3 million)
- Food, beverage decreased 5.8 per cent (-$163.2 million)
- Motor vehicle and parts decreased 11.6 per cent (-$167.0 million)
- Building material increased 1.5 per cent ($23.0 million)
- Machinery, equipment decreased 1.7 per cent (-$23.9 million)
- Miscellaneous wholesalers increased 13.6 per cent ($75.2 million)
- Other wholesalers decreased 7.5 per cent (-$34.4 million)
Reference Tables
20-10-0074-01 Seasonally adjusted Wholesale sales by province
20-10-0074-01 Nova Scotia seasonally adjusted Wholesale trade by NAICS sectors
20-10-0076-01 Canada seasonally adjusted Wholesale Trade Inventory
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