Merchant wholesaler trade sales climbed in March, while total inventories declined, the U.S. Census Bureau News said Thursday.

Sales jumped 1.6 percent to $384.3 billion, the report said. Inventories declined 0.1 percent to $420.8 billion by the end of the month.

Sales of non-durable goods gained 1 percent on the month and 20.1 percent form a year ago, while sales of raw farm materials gained 9.4 percent on the month.

In durable goods, motor vehicle parts sales climbed 4.5 percent during March, while sales of metals and minerals -- not including petroleum -- increased 3.5 percent.

Inventories, up 6.8 percent from a year ago, dropped in lumber and construction materials, petroleum products and raw farm materials. Computer and related product inventories increased by 3 percent in March, the report said.

The March inventories to sales ratio, based on seasonally adjusted figures, was 1.09, down from March 2007, when the ratio was 1.15.

Copyright 2008 by United Press International


Publication date: 08 May 2008   

Source: UPI-1-20080508-13185100-bc-us-wholesaletrade.xml

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