The Canadian Press

Manufacturing sales advanced 2% in October to $42.5 billion, their fourth increase in five months.

Even with these recent gains, manufacturing sales remained 16.6% below October 2008.

Statistics Canada reports most of October’s manufacturing gains were focused in two industries — aerospace product and parts, and petroleum and coal products.

Constant-dollar manufacturing sales rose 1.2% and have also increased in four of the past five months.

Sales advanced in 15 of the 21 manufacturing industries, accounting for about 72% of total sales.

Aerospace product and parts production advanced 54.1%, while petroleum and coal product sales rose 7.2.

Motor vehicle sales increased 2.9% in October.

Fabricated metal products led declines, losing 4.4% in October.