Business Inventories Rise in December

Washington, DC, Feb. 15, 2011 -- U.S. business inventories rose slightly more than expected in December, according to the Commerce Department.

The government said inventories increased 0.8 percent to $1.44 trillion, the highest since January 2009, after increasing by an upwardly revised 0.4 percent in November.

Economists had forecast inventories rising 0.7 percent after a previously reported 0.2 percent increase in November.

Business sales increased 1.1 percent to $1.15 trillion in December, the highest since September 2008, after rising 1.4 percent the prior month.