(Ottawa) Wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereal grains, increased 0.2% to 81.3 billion in July, reported Thursday Statistics Canada.

The motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories subsector, as well as the construction materials and supplies subsector, were responsible for the overall increase, the federal agency explained.

Sales of motor vehicles and motor vehicle parts and accessories rose 3.9% to $14.1 billion in July, supported by a 4.2% increase in the motor vehicle subsector.

The construction materials and supplies subsector saw sales rise 2.7% to $12.0 billion in July, while the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector saw its sales decline by 2.0 billion. 2% to 17.4 billion.

Expressed in constant dollars, wholesale sales, excluding petroleum, petroleum products, and other hydrocarbons, as well as oilseeds and cereal grains, increased 0.2% in July.

Statistics Canada began including the oilseeds and grains group and the petroleum and petroleum products subsector in wholesale trade earlier this year, but is excluding the data from its monthly analysis until the Historical data is available for appropriate monthly and annual analysis.