OTTAWA - Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell 0.6 per cent to $57.8 billion in April as sales in the in the transportation equipment and primary metal industries declined.

The drop followed a 2.6 per cent increase in March.

Economists had expected an increase of 0.4 per cent for April, according to Thomson Reuters Eikon.

Sales were down in eight of 21 industries, representing 36.1 per cent of total Canadian manufacturing.

Excluding transportation equipment, which fell 6.7 per cent, overall manufacturing sales rose 0.8 per cent.

In volume terms, manufacturing sales were down 0.8 per cent.