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Retail Sales Fall in Canada With Higher Rates Pinching Consumers

Retail sales fell 1.4% in March, according to a preliminary estimate from Statistics Canada.

Photographer: Cole Burston/Bloomberg
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Canada’s consumers are starting to feel the pinch of higher interest rates as they pull back on spending.

Retail sales fell 1.4% in March, according to a preliminary estimate released by Statistics Canada, which would be the biggest monthly decline since last July. That followed a 0.2% decrease in February receipts, and a deeper-than-expected 0.7% drop in purchases excluding autos.