Washington, DC, August 12--Inventories rose 0.9 percent at U.S. businesses in June, the biggest increase in four years, the Commerce Department estimated Thursday.
Business sales increased 0.1 percent, the weakest since April. The inventory-to-sales ratio rose to 1.31 from a record low 1.30, the first increase in more than a year. The ratio was 1.38 a year ago.
Economists were expecting inventories to rise 0.6 percent in June.
Much of the data in the report had been released before. What's new is the data on the retail sector, where sales fell 0.5 percent in June while inventories rose 1.1 percent. The inventory-to-sales ratio rose to 1.56 from 1.54. It's unchanged from a year ago.
Auto inventories increased 2.1 percent in June as sales tumbled 3 percent. Auto sales turned higher in July, rising 2.4 percent.
Excluding autos, retail inventories in June increased 0.6 percent while ex-auto sales rose 0.3 percent.
Manufacturing inventories increased 0.7 percent in June as sales also rose 0.7 percent. The inventory-to-sales ratio remained at 1.23.
Wholesale inventories increased 1.1 percent while sales were flat. The inventory-to-sales ratio rose to 1.15 from 1.13.
