Data released by Statistics Canada moments ago showed a 0.9% increase in retail sales in March, reaching $72.7 billion, following a 0.7% rise in February. This better-than-expected figure was driven by increased sales at gas stations.

Core retail sales, which exclude gas stations and auto and parts dealers, fell 0.1% in March.

The sales increase in August was supported by a 12.4% jump in sales at gas stations, as gasoline prices rose due to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz and the conflict in the Middle East. Sales at auto and parts dealers, however, declined by 0.5%.