OTTAWA Statistics Canada says manufacturing sales fell in June for the fourth time in six months, dropping 0.5 per cent to $48.2 billion.

The federal agency notes Canadas manufacturing sales have been slowly falling since the spring of 2012.

It says lower sales in the miscellaneous manufacturing, fabricated metal product and wood product industries were largely behind Junes decrease.

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However, higher sales in the petroleum and coal product industry offset some of the decline.

Statistics Canada says sales fell in 16 of 21 industries, representing about 56 per cent of the manufacturing sector.

The agency says constant dollar sales were down 1.3 per cent as volumes fell.