Distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for July were estimated at $1.3 trillion, up 0.6 percent from June and up 4.6 percent from July 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were $1.7 trillion, up 0.4 percent from June and up 3.2 percent from July 2012.
The total business inventories/sales ratio in July was 1.28. The July 2012 ratio was 1.3.