Washington, DC, June 8--Wholesale inventories rose 0.8 percent in April, according to the Commerce Department. Economists had forecast a 0.4 percent increase April inventories.
The Commerce Department also revised up its March wholesale inventory advance to 0.6 percent, from an originally reported 0.4 percent gain.
Stocks of durable goods rose 0.4 percent in April after a 0.2 percent advance in March.
Auto inventories rose 1.5 percent in April, reversing direction after a 2.2 percent decline the month before. Professional equipment stocks rose 1.4 percent and computer equipment inventories rose 0.1 percent.
Wholesale sales rose 1.5 percent in April, their fastest rate in more than year, after a more modest 0.2 percent growth the month before. Auto sales fell 2.5 percent after a 1.2 percent decline in March.
