Highlights
January was a soft month for the wholesale sector where sales slipped 0.1 percent and where inventories backed up 0.4 percent. Yet the mismatch isn't enough to drive up the stock-to-sales ratio which is unchanged at a very efficient 1.15. Evidence of weakness on the industrial side is a rise in inventories of related goods while related sales mostly declined. An indication of strength on the consumer side is another big sales gain for autos combined with another big inventory build.

Despite softness in January's data, wholesale inventories continue to trend lower relative to sales, a trend that's more positively pronounced in the factory sector. But the wholesale sector is the intermediary between the factory and retail sectors and today's report hints at a slowing in retail activity. Inventories on the retail sector will posted on Tuesday with the business inventories report.

Market Consensus before announcement
Wholesale inventories rose 1.0 percent in December, a strong build that was matched by a proportional 1.3 percent build in sales that left the stock-to-sales ratio unchanged at a very lean and efficient 1.15.

2012 Release Schedule

Released On: 1/10 2/9 3/9 4/10 5/9 6/8 7/11 8/9 9/12 10/10 11/9 12/11 Release For: Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct