April 2008

February 2008 sales of wholesalers were $377.4 billion, down 0.8 percent from the revised January level, but up 12.2 percent from the February 2007 level.
 
The January preliminary estimate was revised downward $0.9 billion or 0.2 percent.

February sales of durable goods were down 1.7 percent from last month, but were up 3.6 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, sales of furniture and home furnishings were down 4.6 percent and sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum, were down 4.1 percent.
 
Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.1 percent from last month and were up 20.5 percent from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 2.6 percent from last month, while sales of farm product raw materials were down 4.4 …

Currency exchange rate pressures lead to an increase in the exit rates of very small manufacturers (fewer than 20 employees), finds a report released today by the Office of Advocacy of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
 
Interestingly, small manufacturers in high-tech industries are more insulated from international competitive pressures than those in other sectors,” said Robert Feinberg, professor at American University and author of the paper.
 
The study, The Impact of International Competition on Small-Firm Exit in U.S. Manufacturing, focused on 1990 to 2004. The author noted little variation in the overall exit rate of small manufacturers over time, but a reasonable amount of variation across firm size and industry.
 
Factors affecting exit …