US: Sales of merchant wholesalers down 0.1% in January

Key findings from the latest monthly wholesale trade report:

• The January 2017 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, were $463.6 billion, down 0.1% from the revised December level
• This number was up 8.4% from the January 2016 level
• Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, were $600.0 billion, down 0.2% from the revised December level.
• The January inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.29. The January 2016 ratio was 1.37.