October 1997 sales of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variation and trading-day differences but not for price changes, were $213.5 billion, unchanged (+/—0.6%) from the revised September level, but up 3.9 percent (+/—1.3%) from the October 1996 level. The September preliminary estimate was revised upward by 0.3 billion or 0.1 percent. Among durable goods, sales of hardware, plumbing and heating equipment were up 2.3 percent from last month and 5.7 percent above last October. Among nondurable goods, sales of farm- product raw materials increased 9.9 percent from last month and were 6.5 percent above October 1996.

Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, after adjustment for seasonal variation but not for price changes, were $269.7 billion at the end of October, up 0.6 percent (+/—0.4%) from the revised September level and were 5.5 percent (+/—2.8%) above October 1996. The September preliminary estimate was revised upward by 0.1 billion or 0.03 percent Among durable goods, inventories of both furniture and home furnishings, and electrical goods increased 1.2 percent from last month. End-of-month inventories of nondurable goods increased 1.6 percent (+/—1.1%) from September and were 5.9 percent (+/—2.9%) above October 1996.

The October inventories/sales ratio for merchant wholesalers, based on seasonally adjusted data, was 1.26. The October 1996 ratio was 1.24.

			1997 	1997 	1996 
			Oct (p) Sep 	Oct (r) 
Sales, total		213,457	213,372	205,490
Durable goods		110,858	110,970	105,035
Nondurable goods	102,599	102,402	100,455
Inventories, total	269,657	268,112	255,526
Durable goods		170,055	170,122	161,498
Nondurable goods	 99,602	 97,990	 94,028

Stock/sales ratios, 
	total		1.26	1.26	1.24
Durable goods		1.53	1.53	1.54
Nondurable goods	0.97	0.96	0.94

P–Preliminary estimate.

R–Revised.

December 7, 1997 U.S. Department of Commerce

Statistics

CHICAGO BOT DELIVERABLE GRAIN STOCKS

EXPORT SALES REPORT

REDBOOK RETAIL AVERAGES Retail Sales Index

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U.S. EXPORT INSPECTIONS

NAPM REPORT ON BUSINESS

COTTON GINNINGS

CROP PRODUCTION HIGHLIGHTS & SUMMARY

USDA U.S. SUPPLY/DEMAND PROJECTIONS

ADVANCE MONTHLY RETAIL SALES SUMMARY–NOVEMBER 1997

MANUFACTURING AND TRADE INVENTORIES AND SALES SUMMARY OCTOBER 1997

MONTHLY WHOLESALE TRADE SALES AND INVENTORIES OCTOBER 1997

U.S. IMPORT AND EXPORT PRICE INDEXES–NOVEMBER 1997

PRODUCER PRICE INDEXES NOVEMBER 1997

Consensus National Futures and Financial On Line Index

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