Canada's manufacturing sales increased 0.7 percent in March, in line with expectations, for a 12-month advance of 0.9 percent. Volumes were up 1.1 percent on the month and 1.4 percent year-over-year.

Regionally, sales expanded in five provinces, led by Quebec and Alberta.

Sales increased 1.4 percent in the first quarter, mainly supported by the transportation equipment industry.

New orders fell 3.5 percent and unfilled orders 2.2 percent, providing a bleak outlook for sales ahead. Inventories rose 0.5 percent. The inventory-to-sales ratio edged down to 1.72 from 1.73.

Meanwhile, the unadjusted manufacturing capacity utilization rate rose to 81.3 percent from 77.5 percent, consistent with increased inflationary pressures.

Manufacturing sales, which have been swinging back and forth along a declining trend, are expected to rise 0.7 percent in March after falling 3.6 percent in February.

Manufacturing sales for twenty-one reporting industries are the Canadian dollar level of factory shipments for manufacturing durable and nondurable goods. Volume figures are also provided. The sales statistics form part of a wide monthly report that encompasses information on new orders, backlogs and inventories and is a key input into forecasts of monthly gross domestic product (GDP).

Manufacturer's shipments represent the monetary level of factory shipments for durable and nondurable goods and are a relevant indicator for an export-oriented economy. The data are used by analysts to evaluate the economic health of manufacturing industries. They are also used as inputs to GDP and needless to say, these data are used by the central bank in its decision-making process.

The monthly survey of manufacturing of which shipments is a part, provides a broad look at manufacturing activity levels. The level of activity in manufacturing can be affected by the level of interest rates which slows or stimulates the demand for goods and production. Shipments are an indication of how busy factories have been as manufacturers work to fill orders. The data not only provide insight to demand for items such as refrigerators and cars, but also business investment such as industrial machinery, electrical machinery and computers. Because a large proportion of shipments are headed south of the border to the U.S. and include a wide variety of durables, shipments are affected by U.S. economic activity as well as the exchange rate. Although the focus in this report is on shipments, it also contains information on inventories and new and unfilled orders.

Results from this survey are used by both the private and public sectors including finance departments of the federal and provincial governments, the Bank of Canada, Industry Canada, the System of National Accounts, the manufacturing community, consultants and research organizations in Canada, the United States and abroad.