ISTANBUL

Canada's retail sales declined 0.2% to $66.4 billion in March, the country's statistical authority said Friday.

The market expectation for the figure was to show a decrease of 0.1%, while retail sales also fell 0.1% in February.

In March, sales were down in seven of nine subsectors, led by decreases at furniture, home furnishings, electronics and appliances retailers, Statistics Canada said in a statement.

Retail sales were down 0.2% in the first quarter of 2024, it added.

Core retail sales, which exclude gasoline stations and motor vehicle and parts dealers, decreased 0.6% in March.

"This was the first decrease for core retail sales in four months," said the statement.