US wholesale inventories post biggest increase in 13 months

WASHINGTON, April 9 (Reuters) - ‌U.S. wholesale ​inventories ​increased by the most in 13 months in February, boosted by sharp ‌rises in the stocks of professional and ⁠electrical equipment, government data showed on Thursday.

Stocks at wholesalers ‌rebounded 0.8%, the largest ‌increase since January 2025, after falling 0.3% in January, the Commerce Department's Census Bureau said ​on Thursday.

Inventories, a key part of gross domestic product, increased 1.8% on a year-over-year ⁠basis in February. The rise, if sustained in March, could ​see inventories adding to GDP growth in the first quarter.

The Census Bureau is ​still catching up on data ‌releases following delays caused by last year's government shutdown.

Stocks of professional equipment ⁠increased 0.8% while those of electrical products shot up 1.5%.

Business inventories made a small contribution to ⁠the 0.5% annualized GDP growth pace in the fourth ​quarter. The economy grew at a 4.4% pace in the July-September quarter.

Sales at wholesalers increased 2.7% in February ‌after rising 1.1% in January. At February's sales pace it would take ‌1.22 months to clear shelves, down from 1.25 ⁠months in January. ‌The inventories/sales ratio ​was at 1.31 months in February 2025.

(Reporting by Lucia Mutikani; Editing by Andrea ‌Ricci)

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