U.S. Wholesale Inventories Grew Modestly in September

U.S. wholesalers restocked at a modest pace in September, while sales also grew more slowly.

Wholesale inventories increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in September from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a 0.3% increase.

Sales in September were up 1.3% from the revised August level. The ratio of inventories to sales fell to 1.27 in September from 1.32 a year earlier, the lowest level since the end of 2014.

Previously, the Commerce Department said it couldn't isolate the effects from recent hurricanes on previous trade numbers, but that some companies experienced a drop in sales or an increase in inventories as a result of power outages and closures, while others reported decreased inventories due to storm damage.

The Commerce Department's report can be found at: https://www.census.gov/wholesale/pdf/mwts/currentwhl.pdf

Write to Sharon Nunn at Sharon.Nunn@wsj.com and Sarah Chaney at Sarah.Chaney@wsj.com

WASHINGTON--U.S. wholesalers restocked at a modest pace in September, while sales also grew more slowly.

Wholesale inventories increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in September from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a 0.3% increase.

Sales in September were up 1.3% from the revised August level. The ratio of inventories to sales fell to 1.27 in September from 1.32 a year earlier, the lowest level since the end of 2014.

Previously, the Commerce Department said it couldn't isolate the effects from recent hurricanes on previous trade numbers, but that some companies experienced a drop in sales or an increase in inventories as a result of power outages and closures, while others reported decreased inventories due to storm damage.

The Commerce Department's report can be found at: https://www.census.gov/wholesale/pdf/mwts/currentwhl.pdf

Write to Sharon Nunn at Sharon.Nunn@wsj.com and Sarah Chaney at Sarah.Chaney@wsj.com

WASHINGTON--U.S. wholesalers restocked at a modest pace in September, while sales also grew more slowly.

Wholesale inventories increased a seasonally adjusted 0.3% in September from the prior month, the Commerce Department said Thursday. Economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected a 0.3% increase.

Sales in September were up 1.3% from the revised August level. The ratio of inventories to sales fell to 1.27 in September from 1.32 a year earlier, the lowest level since the end of 2014.

Previously, the Commerce Department said it couldn't isolate the effects from recent hurricanes on previous trade numbers, but that some companies experienced a drop in sales or an increase in inventories as a result of power outages and closures, while others reported decreased inventories due to storm damage.

The Commerce Department's report can be found at: https://www.census.gov/wholesale/pdf/mwts/currentwhl.pdf

Write to Sharon Nunn at Sharon.Nunn@wsj.com and Sarah Chaney at Sarah.Chaney@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

November 09, 2017 10:15 ET (15:15 GMT)