Canada factory sales dip 1 percent on aerospace, autos weakness

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canadian factory sales in January fell by 1.0 percent, the biggest drop in six months, on weakness in motor vehicles as well as aerospace products and parts, Statistics Canada said on Friday. The decline, greater than the 0.8 percent retreat forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts, was the biggest since the 2.7 percent plunge in July 2017. Overall, sales were down in 14 of 21 industries, representing 56 percent of the manufacturing sector. Volumes fell by 1.1 percent. Unusual shutdowns of auto assembly plants that reduced production helped cut sales of motor vehicles by 8.0 percent while sales in the aerospace products and parts industry decreased by 9.5 percent. New orders edged up 0.1 percent while unfilled orders rose by 0.6 percent on greater demand in aerospace. (Reporting by David Ljunggren; Editing by Jeffrey Benkoe)