November 2012 retail and food services sales were $412.4 billion, an increase of 0.3 percent from the previous month and an increase of 3.7 percent from one year earlier. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in November were $336.8 billion, unchanged from October but up 3.3 percent from November 2011.
October 2012 wholesale inventories were $497.1 billion, up 0.6 percent from September and up 6.6 percent from one year earlier. Sales were $408.5 billion, down 1.2 percent from September but up 2.3 percent from October 2011.
The October 2012 international trade deficit increased 4.9 percent from September, to $42.2 billion. Exports fell 3.6 percent, to $180.5 billion, and imports decreased 2.1 percent, to $222.8 billion.
October 2012 new orders for manufactured durable goods increased 0.8 percent, to $477.6 billion. Shipments rose 0.4 percent, to $482.3 billion. Unfilled orders increased 0.3 percent, to $982.9 billion. And inventories rose 0.1 percent, to $616.0 billion.
Construction spending in October 2012 was $872.1 billion at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up 1.4 percent from the revised September 2012 estimate and up 9.6 percent from October 2011.
