The U.S. Census Bureau has released figures that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments for March, is estimated at $1,069.0 billion, representing a 2.3 percent increase from February and a 11.9 percent spike compared to March 2009.

Manufacturers' and trade inventories were also up, with an estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,327.5 billion, up 0.4 percent from February 2010, but down 5.0 percent from March 2009.