Source: The Canadian Press

Wholesale sales rose 0.4% to $44.8 billion in September after a 1.3% advance in August.

Statistics Canada attributes the September increase largely to higher sales in the vehicle and parts subsector and the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector.

By volume, wholesale sales were up 0.3%.

Wholesale sales were 7.8% higher than in September 2009.

The agency says five of seven wholesale trade subsectors posted higher sales.

The largest increase in dollar terms came in the vehicle and parts subsector, which rose 2.8% to $7.6 billion in September.

The second largest advance was in the machinery, equipment and supplies subsector (up 1.1%).

Wholesale trade inventories increased for the fifth time in six months, rising 0.5% to $53 billion in September.

Inventories were up in 17 of the 25 wholesale trade industries.