The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for October, adjusted for seasonal and trading day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $1,482.3 billion, up 2.2% from October 2019 and up 0.9% from September 2020, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Manufacturers’ and trade inventories for October, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,948.7 billion, down 4% from October 2019 but up 0.7% from September 2020.

The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of October was 1.31. The October 2019 ratio was 1.40.