CANADA RETAIL SALES RISE 1.9 PCT IN FEBRUARY
Canada's retail sales, seasonally
adjusted, rose 1.9 pct in February after a downward revised 0.3
pct decline in January, Statistics Canada said.
    Retail sales rose to 12.19 billion dlrs in February, a
significant increase over the 11.97 billion dlrs recorded in
January, the federal agency said. Unadjusted sales were 7.8 pct
higher than in February, 1986.
    In February, automobile sales rose 3.4 pct, department
store sales rose 3.2 pct and service stations were up 1.9 pct.
The increases were slightly offset by a 2.0 pct decline in
grocery, confectionery and sundries stores sales.
 Reuter
