The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments in September, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1.3 trillion, up 0.2 percent from August and up 2.9 percent from September 2012, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.
Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1.7 trillion, up 0.6 percent from August and up 3.1 percent from September 2012.
The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of September was 1.29. The September 2012 ratio was 1.29.