Research >> Economics
Wholesale Inventories up 0.1% in May
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The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that May 2016 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $435.5 billion, up 0.5 percent (+/-0.5%) from the revised April level, but were down 2.5 percent (+/-1.1%) from the May 2015 level. The April preliminary estimate was revised downward $1.0 billion or 0.2 percent. May sales of durable goods were up 0.6 percent (+/-0.7%) from last month, but were down 0.6 percent (+/-1.6%) from a year ago. Sales of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 3.8 percent from last month and sales of electrical and electronic goods were up 2.4 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.5 percent (+/-0.5%) from April, but were down 4.1 percent (+/-1.8%) from last May. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 5.6 percent from last month.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $589.2 billion at the end of May, up 0.1 percent (+/-0.2%) from the revised April level and were up 0.5 percent (+/-1.2%) from the May 2015 level. The April preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.5 billion or 0.1 percent. May inventories of durable goods were up 0.1 percent (+/-0.4%) from last month, but were down 2.3 percent (+/-1.2%) from a year ago. Inventories of computer and computer peripheral equipment and software were up 1.9 percent from last month, while inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 1.9 percent. Inventories of nondurable goods were up 0.2 percent (+/-0.2%) from April and were up 5.1 percent (+/-1.6%) from last May. Inventories of farm product raw materials were up 5.9 percent from last month, while inventories of drugs and druggists' sundries were down 3.6 percent.
The May inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.35. The May 2015 ratio was 1.31.
Posted: July 12, 2016 Tuesday 10:00 AM