Area Development
The combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments in January increased 2 percent from December 2010 and 10.8 percent from January 2010, the year previous, the Census Bureau reports. The total value of these sales and shipments reached approximately $1,177.8 billion.

Manufacturers' and trade inventories increased nearly 1 percent from December 2010 and 9.1 percent from January 2010. The total business inventories/sales ratio measured 1.23 in January 2011, a slight decline from 1.25 percent in January 2010.