Rannella Billy-Ochieng, the economist at Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), notes that Canada’s retail sales were held flat by lower vehicles sales & weaker energy prices as absent price effects, volume increased by 0.4%.

• “Today’s report had few surprises.  As expected, headline sales were weighed down by a decline in gasoline station sales on account of lower energy prices.  Controlling for price changes, sale volumes increased 0.4% June, bouncing back after a drop in May that was probably depressed by weather-related factors.  Sale volumes still only increased 0.3% (annualized) in Q2 as a whole but the June increase leaves a stronger handoff for Q3.
• The June gain was boosted in by a partial rebound in food sales after a big May drop as well as a lift from apparel and sporting goods that Statistics Canada credited in part to the Toronto Raptors championship victory.  In all, Statistics Canada reported sales increased in 7 of 11 categories.”