Retail sales fall 0.2 percent in Canada

(April 24, 2012) -- "The drop in sales volumes in February following a downwardly revised dip in January was disappointing and suggests downside risk to our forecast that consumer spending grew at a 2.5 percent rate in the first quarter of 2012," said Janzen. "Yesterday’s reported 2.2 percent jump in the volume of wholesale trade in February provided some offset to both today’s retail sales report and a weaker than expected manufacturing report in the month."