December 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers were $336.1 billion, down 3.6 percent from November and down 10.7 percent from the December 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. December sales of durable goods were down 2.0 percent from last month and were down 9.4 percent from a year ago.
 
Compared to last month, sales of lumber and other construction materials were down 8.6 percent and sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 8.1 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were down 4.9 percent from last month and were down 11.8 percent from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 16.4 percent from last month and sales of farm product raw materials were down 9.4 percent.
 
Inventories. Total inventories of ...