U.S. Wholesalers See Significant Sales Increase

Washington, DC, March 10, 2008--Sales at wholesalers in January rose at the fastest pace in nearly four years, according to the Commerce Department.

Sales climbed 2.7 percent in January, the biggest increase since March 2004, while inventories rose 0.8 percent. The inventory-to-sales ratio fell back to a record low 1.07.

The sales and inventory figures are seasonally adjusted, but not for inflation, which skyrocketed at the wholesale level in January. However, even in inflation-adjusted terms, real sales strengthened.