The Canadian Press

Wholesale sales in current dollars fell 1.4% to $41 billion in August.

Statistics Canada blames weaker sales in automotive products, machinery and electronic equipment, and building materials for the decline.

In volume terms, wholesale sales were down 0.8% in August.

Sales fell in all seven wholesale sectors in August, but losses in three sectors accounted for close to 90% of the total decline.

The largest decrease came in the automotive products sector, which fell 3.3% in August.

Motor vehicle sales fell 4.7% , their first decline in seven months.

The machinery and electronic equipment sector fell 2.4% , with the machinery and equipment trade group (down 5.8) accounting for all of the loss.

Sales in the building materials sector fell 1.8%.