The US Census Bureau announced today the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for November, adjusted for seasonal and trading day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,462.5 billion, down 0.3 percent (±0.2 percent) from October 2018, but was up 4.2 percent (±1.2 percent) from November 2017.
Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,980.5 billion, down 0.1 percent (±0.1 percent) from October 2018, but were up 4.6 percent (±1.4 percent) from November 2017.
The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of November was 1.35. The November 2017 ratio was 1.35.