The Wholesale Services Price Index was up 1.5 percent in the fourth quarter, according to Statistics Canada. Gains were widespread, with seven of eight major sectors reporting increases and one sector posting a decline.
Margins for petroleum and petroleum product wholesalers recovered from the previous quarter and posted the largest increase (+7.3 percent). Purchase prices for petroleum and petroleum products declined at a faster pace than selling prices in the fourth quarter.
Margins for motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories wholesalers (+2.2 percent) widened, as growth in selling prices outpaced that of purchase prices.
Miscellaneous wholesalers registered a 2.percent increase, largely as a result of higher margins for chemical (except agricultural) products (+10.1 percent) and stationery and office supplies wholesalers (+10.4 percent).
Machinery, equipment and supplies rose 1.1 percent, with industrial machinery, equipment and supplies wholesalers (+4.8 percent) contributing the most to the increase.
Margins also grew for farm products (+5.5 percent), food, beverage and tobacco (+0.8 percent), and personal and household goods (+0.3 percent) wholesalers.
Building material and supplies wholesalers (-0.2 percent) registered the lone decrease.
Year-over-year, the WSPI advanced 2.1 percent, the ninth consecutive year-over-year increase. Food, beverage and tobacco wholesalers (+5 percent) registered the largest increase, driven by margin growth in other specialty-line food (+17.3 percent) and fish and seafood (+13.8 percent).
Margins were also up for petroleum and petroleum products (+4.2 percent), miscellaneous goods (+2.8 percent), building material and supplies (+2.1 percent), machinery, equipment and supplies (+2 percent), and motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and accessories (+1.7 percent) wholesalers.
Farm product wholesalers (-9.4 percent) recorded a year-over-year decrease as a result of declines in margins of live animals (-13.4 percent) and oilseed and grain (-12.4 percent).
