OTTAWA - Canadian manufacturing sales posted the largest gain in five months in May, rising to a record level on higher sales of motor vehicles and parts, data from Statistics Canada showed on Wednesday.

The 1.1 per cent increase to $54.6 billion from April topped economists' forecasts for a gain of 0.8 per cent and was the biggest increase since last December.

However, April's sales were downwardly revised to show a gain of 0.4 per cent from the originally reported 1.1 per cent increase.

Overall, sales rose in 16 of the 21 sectors surveyed in May, accounting for 71 per cent of overall manufacturing. Stripping out the effects of price changes, volumes were strong, up 1.1 per cent.

Sales in the transportation equipment sector rose 4.2 per cent, driving May's gains as the vehicle and parts sectors saw sales volumes jump.

Among other sectors, chemical manufacturing sales increased 2.4 per cent, led by pesticide, fertilizer and other agricultural industries. Such sales typically spike once farmers have seeded their crops in the spring, the statistics agency said.

New orders pulled back by 3.6 per cent after five consecutive months of gains. Orders were weighed by decreased demand for aerospace products and parts, though that was offset by higher orders for vehicles.