Canadian retail sales rebound in June

OTTAWA — Canadian retail sales likely rebounded in June after dropping less than expected in May, data showed on Friday, as businesses forced to shut down amid a potent third wave of COVID-19 infections began to reopen.

Retail sales dropped 2.1 per cent in May from April, Statistics Canada said, less than a 3.0 per cent decline forecast by analysts. June retail sales likely rose 4.4 per cent, according to a Statistics Canada preliminary estimate.

Some 5.6 per cent of retailers said they were closed at some point in May, compared with 5.0 per cent in April.