Manufacturing sales rise 3% in March, boosted by energy prices

Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales rose three per cent in March to $73.6 billion, the highest level since January last year, boosted by higher energy prices. Sales rose in nine of the 21 subsectors tracked, led by petroleum and coal products and transportation equipment. Sales of petroleum and coal products rose 22.7 per cent to $9.4 billion in March, largely driven by higher prices.