Total U.S. business inventories were virtually unchanged in March compared to the previous month, as manufacturers and wholesalers increased their inventories, while those held by retailers fell, the U.S. Census Bureau reported.
Inventories stood at a seasonally adjusted $1.930 trillion following the revised $1.929 trillion in February. Year over year, inventories increased from $1.859 trillion.
Manufacturers' inventories rose month over month to $677.29 billion from $675.57 billion, and merchant wholesalers' inventories increased to $627.40 billion from $625.25 billion. Retailers' inventories declined to $624.90 billion from $627.94 billion.
Motor vehicle and parts dealers, the biggest segment in the retail sector, posted inventories of $219.94 billion in March, down from $222.45 billion in February.
Total U.S. business sales increased to $1.438 trillion from $1.431 trillion month over month. The inventories-to-sales ratio at the end of March was 1.34, compared to 1.38 in the same month last year.
