Business Inventories Increase 0.1%

Business inventories rose 0.1% in March, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

The increase in goods unsold at factories, retailers and wholesalers was the smallest since the previous March and followed a revised 0.5% increase in February that was smaller than first reported.

Sales gained 1%, following a 1% decline in February.

The inventory gain was below analysts’ forecasts of a 0.4% increase, Bloomberg reported.

When sales are growing, it usually means trucking is seeing additional demand to deliver goods and restock shelves.

Higher inventories mean goods are not being sold at a rapid pace, which could lower demand for trucking services.