Infoline Highlights: Coverage for the week of April 15-19

Retail Sales - Retail sales in British Columbia were down 1.9% (seasonally adjusted) in February, reversing a boost recorded in January (+1.8%). Nationally, retail sales saw the first real sign of growth in recent months (+ 0.8% in February), having remained relatively stagnant since November.
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Food Services and Drinking Places - Receipts at food services and drinking places in B.C. continued to stall in February, inching down 0.2% (seasonally adjusted). Canadian sales were slightly higher (+0.6%), with five provinces posting increases, including Quebec (+2.0%) and Ontario (+1.1%).
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Employment Insurance - The number of British Columbians receiving regular Employment Insurance (EI) benefits rose 2.7% (seasonally adjusted) in February, to 41,100. Nationally, EI beneficiaries climbed 1.0% to 441,160
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Manufacturing Sales - Manufacturing sales in B.C. dipped 1.4% (seasonally adjusted) in February. Sales of manufactured food products were higher for the second straight month (+1.1%) and sales of paper products jumped 19.1%, each helping to drive total receipts for non-durables higher (+5.9%).
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Exports - The value of B.C. origin exports climbed 1.8% in the first two months of 2019 compared to January to February 2018. Exports increased to B.C.’s largest trading partners, the United States (+7.3%) and Mainland China (+10.5%), as well as South Korea (+4.3%) and Australia (+19.9%).
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Consumer Price Index - British Columbia’s consumer price index (CPI) was 2.6% higher (unadjusted) in March 2019 than in the same month of 2018. On a monthly basis, the rate of inflation rose 0.7% from February 2019.
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Current Surveys

• BC Council on Admissions & Transfer Survey of Mobile Students
  
• BC Hydro Workforce Profile Survey
• BC Public Service Exit Survey
• BC Public Service New Job Survey
• BC Student Outcomes Survey of Apprenticeship and Trades Training Students
  
• BC Student Outcomes Survey of Diploma, Associate Degree and Certificate Students
• Canada-BC Job Grant Outcomes Survey
• FrontCounter BC Customer Satisfaction Survey
• Labour Market Agreement for Persons with Disabilities Outcomes Survey
  
• Long Term Disability (LTD) Application Process Survey

You can read more about any of these by visiting our Current and Recent Surveys page.