Tag: business inventories

Economic News

Business Inventories Increase 0.8 Percent In October.

Bloomberg News (12/14, Willis) reports, “Inventories in the US rose in October by the most in five months as companies moved to bring stockpiles in line with demand. The 0.8 percent gain followed little change in stockpiles a month earlier,” according to the Commerce Department. “Sales climbed 0.7 percent during the month.”

The AP (12/14) reports, “When companies build up their inventories, it usually signals that they expect more sales. And the extra factory production needed to increase stockpiles boosts economic output.”

The Wall Street Journal (12/14, Bater, Morath) also covers the story.

NFIB Report: Small, Medium-Sized Businesses Plan To Increase Hiring.

The New York Times (12/13, Rampell) “Economix” blog reported, “Some good news in the job market: Small businesses plan to increase hiring, according to the latest report from the National Federation of Independent Business.” NFIB – “an industry group for small and medium-size businesses – conducts a survey each month on subjects like optimism, credit conditions and jobs. November’s survey showed that the net share of companies that were planning to hire workers was at its highest in 38 months.”

Bloomberg News (12/13, Willis) reported, “The share of owners projecting higher sales, adjusted for inflation, rose eight points to 4 percent, the highest since April. A gauge of expectations for better business conditions six months from now climbed four points to a net minus 12, marking a third monthly gain from a record-low of minus 26 in August.”

The Washington Post (12/13, Harrison) “On Small Business” blog reported, “Eight of the 10 index components improved or remained unchanged from the October report, with the most substantial gains posted in sales expectations gains and outlooks for business conditions – again, not necessarily because more owners expect improvement in those areas, but because fewer owners expect sales and business conditions to worsen.”

On its website, CNBC (12/14, Orsini), Dow Jones Newswires (12/14, Derby) and other media sources also cover the story.

From SME Daily Executive Briefing 12/14/2011