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This article was published 17/3/2017 (1280 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba was one of seven provinces to post an increase in manufacturing sales during the first month of 2017.

Statistics Canada data released Friday show the province’s manufacturers shipped out $1.5-billion worth of goods in January. That was an increase of 1.7 per cent from December, when $1.47-billion worth of goods were sold.

WAYNE GLOWACKI / WINNIPEG FREE PRESS FILES Manitoba manufacturers shipped out $1.5-billion worth of goods in January.

It was also a 0.6 per cent improvement from January 2016, when $1.49-billion worth of sales were reported.

The December-to-January increase was the fifth largest among the seven provinces that reported higher sales.

Nationally, manufacturing sales in January surpassed expectations, climbing 0.6 per cent to $53.8 billion, helped by the petroleum and coal and chemical industries.

It was the third consecutive month of growth.

Economists had expected a decline of 0.2 per cent for January, according to Thomson Reuters.

Statistics Canada says sales were up in 14 of 21 industries, representing 75.4 per cent of the manufacturing sector.

The petroleum and coal products industry climbed seven per cent to $5.5 billion, while the chemical manufacturing industry gained 2.5 per cent to $4.5 billion. Overall sales in constant dollars gained 0.7 per cent.

— staff / The Canadian Press