Source: The Canadian Press

Four of seven subsectors dropped as wholesale sales declined 0.3% to $43.9 billion in June.

Sales were down 0.1% by volume.

Statistics Canada reports the largest decrease came in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector, which fell 2.3% to $8.9 billion in June.

Declines were reported in all four industries in this subsector, with the other machinery, equipment and supplies industry posting the largest drop, at 4.5%.

The building material and supplies subsector fell 2% as all three of its component industries declined.

The largest increase in dollar terms for the month was in the miscellaneous subsector, which grew 3.2% and includes agricultural supplies, non-agricultural chemicals, paper products, and recycled materials industries.

Agricultural supplies alone rose 18% in June following a 28.6% decline in May.

Wholesale sales were down in seven provinces in June, with Quebec and British Columbia accounting for most of the decline.

Wholesale trade inventories climbed 0.6% to $52.7 billion in June, their highest level since September 2009.

Overall, 13 of the 25 wholesale trade industries reported higher inventory levels.