B.C. manufacturing sales increased in January by 2.4 per cent following months of meagre gains. The uptick was a result of higher non-durable goods sales, which rose by 5.3 per cent, while durable goods sales were nearly flat for the second consecutive month. Though tariffs had yet to come into play, threats of trade disruption and higher prices had U.S. businesses pulling forward purchases.

Within durable goods, wood product sales grew by 4.7 per cent following a 0.3-per-cent decline in December. Computer and electronic product sales jumped by 18.9 per cent. Most other subcategories saw fewer sales in January. Primary metal sales fell by 7.9 per cent while transportation equipment sales dropped by seven per cent. Year-over-year, unadjusted durable goods sales increased by 7.5 per cent.

Data for most non-durable goods subsectors is suppressed for confidentiality........

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