Wholesale Inventories Rise 0.4% in August

Wholesale inventories rose 0.4% in August, the Commerce Department said Friday.

Wholesale sales rose 1% in August, the largest gain in five months, Commerce said.

The inventories gain, which followed a 0.8% increase in July, was below economists’ median forecast of a 0.6% gain, Bloomberg reported.

Durable goods stockpiles climbed 1.1% as automobile imports continued to rise.

Wholesale inventories account for about a fourth of total business stockpiles, while retailers and factories account for the rest.