Business Stockpiles Continue To Climb

Business inventories have grown for eight straight months and a key government survey has found more signs of inflation.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that business inventories rose 0.7 percent in November, equaling October’s gain, which was revised upward from 0.4 percent. Stockpiles have risen every month since March, the only time in 1994 that they fell.

The Commerce Department also reported that sales climbed a strong 1 percent in November after advancing 0.3 percent in October.

The department said the November buildup was led by bigticket durable goods, which increased 0.8 percent from October and were 7.9 percent higher than a year earlier.

Inventories totaled a seasonally adjusted $919.8 billion in November, up from $913.4 billion.