Retail sales down 5.5% in Alberta

Retail sales in Alberta were down in December, the third decrease in four months, according to the latest figures from Statistics Canada.

Sales dipped 3.1 per cent from November to December.

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"The decline in December stemmed from weaker sales at new car dealers," the agency said on its website.

From December 2014 to December 2015, retails sales in Alberta are downfrom $6.48 billion to $6.12 billion or 5.5 per cent.

Nationally, retail sales dropped 2.2 per cent to $43.2 billion inDecember, compared to the previous month.

The last time retail sales saw a month-over-month drop of thatsize was April 2010 when it fell by 2.3 per cent, the agency said.

Retail sales fell in almost every sub sector, with motor vehicle and parts dealers seeing the biggest decrease in dollar terms, Statistics Canada said.

Retail sales decreased in every province except for Prince Edward Island, where they ticked up 0.1 per cent.

But the luxury U.S. retail chainSaks Fifth Avenueisn't daunted by dipping sales in Canada. The company's first Canadian storeopened in downtown Toronto on Thursday.

Five moreare expected to open in other Canadian citiesin the months and years to follow.

Saks alsoplans to open as many as 25 Canadian locationsofits lower priced Saks Off Fifth chainby 2019 including one atCrossIronMills inCalgary.