Retail sales edge up in May

Retail sales rose slightly in May from April, with strong gains in gas stations and seasonal goods almost completely offset by drops in cars and parts and food and beverage stores.

Sales in May rose 0.1 per cent to $37.5 billion, Statistics Canada said Friday. While the month-over-month gain was small, the May figure is still four per cent above sales inMay 2010.

Sales rose inseven of 11 subsectors, with building materials and garden equipment jumping 3.3 per cent.

"More favourable weather conditions stimulated sales of hardware and lawn and garden products," the agency said.That group was followed by miscellaneousretailers and gas stations. Among sporting goods, hobby, book and music stores,where sales rose 1.3 per cent, "sales were strong at sporting good stores," Statistics Canada said.

However, the two largest sectors, vehicles and parts and food and beverage, both fell. Vehicles were off one per cent and food and beverage 0.9 per cent. Together, they account for about $16.6 billion of total May retail sales.

General merchandise storesposted the fourth increase in five months.

Six provinces reported higher sales, led byPrince Edward Island, uptwo per cent, and Manitoba, up 1.5 per cent.

Sales at British Columbia retailersfell 0.7 per cent. Yukon sales dropped 5.4 per cent, buthad the highest year-over-year gain among the provinces and territories, at 17.4 per cent.