Statistics Canada released manufacturing shipments on Friday. Canadian manufacturing shipments fell 0.2% in August, beating forecasts of a 1.0% decrease, after a 1.7% gain in July.

The decline was driven by falls in the petroleum and coal product, motor vehicle parts, and aerospace product and parts industries.

Sales of petroleum and coal products dropped 5.2% in August, sales of motor vehicle parts fell 4.4%, output in the aerospace product and parts industries declined 3.5%, while sales in the motor vehicle assembly industry increased 6.7%.

Inventories rose 0.5% in August.

Sales decreased in 8 of 21 categories.