OTTAWA - Canadian factory sales in January fell by 1.0 per cent, the biggest drop in six months, on weakness in motor vehicles as well as aerospace products and parts, Statistics Canada said on Friday.

The decline, greater than the 0.8 per cent retreat forecast in a Reuters poll of analysts, was the biggest since the 2.7 per cent plunge in July 2017.

Overall, sales were down in 14 of 21 industries, representing 56 percent of the manufacturing sector. Volumes fell by 1.1 per cent.

Unusual shutdowns of auto assembly plants that reduced production helped cut sales of motor vehicles by 8.0 per cent while sales in the aerospace products and parts industry decreased by 9.5 per cent.

New orders edged up 0.1 per cent while unfilled orders rose by 0.6 per cent on greater demand in aerospace.