|
|
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) - Business sales rose at the fastest pace in five months in April, outpacing the growth of inventories, and leaving most businesses with small stockpiles of unsold goods, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. Total sales increased 1.4% in April, the fastest growth since November. Inventories increased a slower 0.5%, dropping the inventory-sales ratio to 1.25, a tick higher than the record low of 1.24 set in November. The typical firm has about 38 days of sales on hand in the back room, perfectly positioned for a climate of weak demand. Economists surveyed by MarketWatch were expecting inventories to rise 0.3% in April.