By Paul Vieira 



  OTTAWA--Canadian factory sales roared back in May, following steep declines in the previous two months tied to economic restrictions imposed because of the novel coronavirus. 


  Manufacturing sales climbed 10.7% in May from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted 40.19 billion Canadian dollars ($29.52 billion), Statistics Canada said Wednesday. Market expectations were for a 9% increase, according to economists at Bank of Nova Scotia. 


  Even with May's solid gain, factory sales in Canada were 28.4% below February's level, or prior to authorities across Canada unveiling restrictions to contain the spread of Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the new coronavirus. 


  In volume, or price-adjusted, terms, manufacturing sales rose 8.8%. 


  Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com