-- Canada will release retail sales data for February and preliminary figures for March at 8:30 a.m. ET on Friday, notes Scotiabank.
Canadian retail sales are expected to come in strong in nominal terms for February based on prior guidance, but key will be volumes and other details, says the bank.
Statistics Canada had guided back on March 20 that February's sales were tracking a gain of 0.9% month-over-month seasonally adjusted in value terms. Stripping out prices to get volumes will be one key, the bank adds.
Preliminary March guidance might not be so kind as new vehicle sales fell, but gasoline prices spiked higher, says Scotiabank.
So far, the bank is tracking a strong gain in real retail sales during Q1 that points to a strong gain in total spending on goods as a part of overall consumer spending in gross domestic product accounts.