The Commerce Department said U.S. November wholesale inventories fell 0.6% after a revised 1.2% decline in October. November wholesale sales plunged a record 7.1% after falling a revised 4.5% in October.
Wall Street economists surveyed by Reuters expected wholesale inventories to fall 0.8% in November. A month earlier, the department reported October inventories were down 1.1% while sales fell 4.1%.
The stock-to-sales ratio, a measure of how long it would take to deplete stocks at the current sales pace, rose to 1.25 months' worth, the highest since May 2003, from 1.16 months in October.
November sales were dragged down by record declines in durables, at 6.1%, and petroleum, which plunged 25.1%. Automotive sales also posted a record 10.6% drop.
Wholesale inventories, sales fall
Jobless claims make surprise jump
Business inventory cut by most in 5 years
November home sales tank
