The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for August, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,353.4 billion, up 4.5 percent from August 2013 but down 0.4 percent from July, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,752.3 billion, up 5.7 percent from August 2013 and up 0.2 percent from July.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of August was 1.29. The August 2013 ratio was 1.28.