Business Inventories Rise 0.5%

Business inventories rose 0.5% in July while sales gained 1.1%, the Commerce Department said Friday.

Inventories had risen 0.4% in June. The July gain was more than analysts’ forecasts of a 0.3% increase, Bloomberg reported.

When sales are growing, it usually means trucking is seeing additional demand to deliver goods and restock shelves.

Higher inventories mean goods are not being sold at a rapid pace, which could lower demand for trucking services.