US: Manufacturers’ and trade inventories were estimated at $1,885.7 billion

"Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,885.7 billion, down 0.1 percent from September 2017, but were up 3.5 percent from October 2016," the U.S. Census Bureau reported on Thursday.

Key highlights

The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for October was estimated at $1,400.8 billion, up 0.6 percent from September 2017 and was up 6.5 percent from October 2016. 

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of October was 1.35.

The October 2016 ratio was 1.39.