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Economic Trends

August U.S. Wholesale Sales Jump 1.8% as Broad Gains Continue

U.S. wholesale sales accelerated in August, rising 1.8% as 16 of 19 product categories posted monthly gains. Durable goods led the advance — especially for those tied to data centers — while inventory growth slowed considerably, pushing the industry’s inventories-to-sales ratio lower. Get our full data breakdown and analysis of what it signals for distributors.

October 8, 2026

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The U.S. Census Bureau released its monthly wholesale trade report on Oct. 8, reflecting results through August, which showed wholesale sales building on July’s rebound while inventory growth slowed considerably. August sales of merchant wholesalers — except manufacturers’ sales branches and offices, after adjustments for seasonal variations and trading day differences, but not for price changes — totaled $817.5 billion, up 1.8% from the revised July level and 15.6% year-over-year. July’s sales increase was revised upward to 1.0% from the initially reported 0.8%, giving the industry two…

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