Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 0.2% in February to $53.6 billion as the motor vehicle assembly and petroleum and coal product manufacturing industries declined.

Economists had expected a drop of 0.7%, according to Thomson Reuters.

Factory sales were down in 10 of the 21 industries, representing 37% of the Canadian manufacturing sector.

In volume terms, sales ticked up 0.1%.

Sales in the motor vehicle assembly industry fell 5.3% to $5.7 billion, while the petroleum and coal products industry dropped 5.0% to $5.1 billion.

Sales fell in seven provinces, led by Ontario, which fell 1.1% to $25.7 billion.

Sales in Quebec rose 2.1% to $12.9 billion.