Wholesale Inventories Rise 1.1%

Wholesale inventories increased 1.1% in September, the largest this year, while sales rose 2%, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The gain followed an upwardly revised 0.8% gain in August. Durable goods stockpiles rose 0.9%.

Economists had called for a 0.4% gain, Bloomberg reported.

August’s rise was initially reported as a 0.5% increase.

Wholesale inventories account for about a one-fourth of total business stockpiles, while retailers and factories account for the rest.