By Matt Ott
Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. businesses kept their stockpiles unchanged in September, while their sales rose at a healthy clip, a sign that companies may need to order more goods in the coming months.
Business inventories were flat after an increase of 0.6 percent in August, the Commerce Department said. Sales rose 1.4 percent.
The report suggests companies are prudently managing their supply chains. When sales rise faster than stockpiles, that typically means businesses will soon need to restock. That boosts demand for goods and lifts factory production.
If stockpiles rise faster than sales, that can be a warning sign customers are cutting back and companies are getting stuck with unwanted merchandise.
September inventories were dragged by a 0.9 decrease in the retail sector, where motor vehicle and auto parts dealers’ stockpiles declined 2.4 percent.
Manufacturers’ inventories rose 0.7 percent. Stockpiles at the wholesale level rose 0.3 percent.
- Posted November 23, 2017
- Tweet This | Share on Facebook
Businesses keep stockpiles unchanged in September
headlines Oakland County
- Holiday Gala
- Jury finds Pontiac woman guilty of felony animal neglect following rescue of 37 animals
- Court of Appeals orders resentencing for 18-year-old in second degree murder case
- Local Gems Sweepstakes spotlights hundreds of Oakland County small businesses
- Nessel secures settlements with Menards, Hyundai and Kia, provides updates on Google settlement
headlines National
- Former judge sentenced to 12 years in prison for using public funds for vacations, personal purchases
- ACLU and BigLaw firm use ‘Orange is the New Black’ in hashtag effort to promote NY jail reform
- Attorney sentenced to 25 years in prison after taking client money for gambling
- Ex-DLA Piper partner accused of assault by former associate
- Legal leaders shoulder more stress, new survey shows
- Some noncitizens may have Second Amendment rights, federal appeals court says
