April 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers were $390.3 billion, up 1.4 percent from the revised March level and were up 12.7 percent from the April 2007 level. The March preliminary estimate was revised upward $0.7 billion or 0.2 percent. April sales of durable goods were up 2.3 percent from last month and were up 7.3 percent from a year ago. Compared to last month, lumber and other construction materials were up 5.9 percent and sales of furniture and home furnishings were up 5.2 percent. Sales of nondurable goods were up 0.6 percent from last month and were up 17.8 percent from last year. Sales of paper and paper products were up 6.2 percent from last month and sales of grocery and related products were up 1.8 percent.
 
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant …