Wholesale trade in March was $443.4 billion, up 1.4 percent from February and up 6.5 percent from March 2013, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The February preliminary estimate was revised upward $1.1 billion.
March sales of durable goods were up 1.4 percent from last month and were up 4.9 percent from a year ago. Sales of nondurable goods were up 1.5 percent from February and up 7.9 percent from last March. Sales of electrical and electronic goods were up 4.2 percent from last month and sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were up 2.2 percent.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers were $525.2 billion at the end of March, up 1.1 percent from the revised February level and up 5.9 percent from March 2013. The February preliminary estimate was revised upward $1.2 billion or 0.2 percent.
March inventories of durable goods were up 0.7 percent from last month and were up 6.2 percent from a year ago. Inventories of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were up 1.9 percent from last month and inventories of hardware and plumbing and heating equipment and supplies were up 1.8 percent.
Inventories of nondurable goods were up 1.7 percent from February and were up 5.4 percent from last March. Inventories of petroleum and petroleum products were up 3.3 percent from last month and inventories of farm product raw materials were up 3.1 percent.
The March inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers was 1.18. The March 2013 ratio was 1.19.
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