Wholesale Sales Jump 1.5%; Inventories Gain

Wholesale sales rose faster than inventories rose in May, jumping 1.5%, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

Inventories gained 0.5% and the inventory-to-sales ratio, which represents the amount of goods on hand, represents a 1.11 months’ supply at the current sales pace — the lowest on record — down from 1.12 months in April.

Wholesale inventories account for about a fourth of total business stockpiles. Retailers and factories account for the rest.