Sales. May 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, were $397.4 billion, up 1.6% from April and up 13.7% from May 2007, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. May sales of durable goods were down 0.2% from last month, but were up 7.6% from a year ago. Compared to last month, furniture and home furnishings were down 4%, while sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were up 2.9%. Sales of nondurable goods were up 3.2% from last month and were up 19.2% from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were up 7.5% from last month.
 
Inventories. Total inventories of merchant wholesalers, except manufacturers’sales branches and offices, after adjustment for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were …