November 2012 business inventories were $1,621.5 billion, up 0.3 percent from October and up 5.5 percent from November 2011. Sales were $1,271.6 billion, up 1.0 percent from October and up 4.3 percent from November 2011.
December 2012 retail and food services sales were $415.7 billion, an increase of 0.5 percent from the previous month and an increase of 4.7 percent from December 2011. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in December were $337.6 billion, up 0.3 percent from November and up 4.1 percent from December 2011. For 2012 overall, retail sales increased 5.2 percent from 2011.
The November 2012 international trade deficit increased 15.8 percent from October, to $48.7 billion. Exports rose 1.0 percent, to $182.6 billion, and imports increased 3.8 percent, to $231.3 billion.
November 2012 wholesale inventories were $498.9 billion, up 0.6 percent from the revised October level and up 7.0 percent from one year earlier. Sales were $419.3 billion, up 2.3 percent from October and up 5.6 percent from November 2011.
November 2012 new orders for manufactured durable goods were unchanged at $477.6 billion. Shipments rose 0.4 percent, to $483.7 billion. Unfilled orders increased 0.1 percent, to $984.5 billion. And inventories were virtually unchanged at $615.2 billion.
