October 2008 sales of merchant wholesalers were $377.4 billion, down 4.1% from the revised September level, but up 2.7% from the October 2007 level, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. The September preliminary estimate was revised downward $2.4 billion or 0.6%.
October sales of durable goods were down 4.2% from last month and were down 1.6% from a year ago. Sales of metals and minerals, except petroleum were down 5.2% from last month and sales of motor vehicle and motor vehicle parts and supplies were down 4.5%. Sales of nondurable goods were down 4.1% from last month, but were up 6.5% from last year. Sales of petroleum and petroleum products were down 11.2% from last month and sales of farm product raw materials were down 6.1%.
Total inventories of merchant wholesalers …