Wholesale business stockpiles rise in Dec.
2/10/2012WASHINGTON — Wholesale businesses increased their stockpiles sharply in December although the gains are expected to slow in coming months, a development that could curb overall economic growth.
The Commerce Department says wholesale businesses boosted inventories by 1 percent in December after no increase in November. Strong inventory growth was a major factor boosting growth in the final three months of the year, but this trend is expected to slow in the early part of this year. That is a major reason economists are looking for slower overall economic growth in the current January-March period.