wholesale inventories

U.S. wholesale inventories rose 1.5% in September, and when combined with a more-optimistic outlook by U.S. CEOs, the data suggest suppliers and businesses expect slightly better holiday sales this year than in 2009.

Perhaps this is another one of those 'green shoots' in the economy that Fed Chair Ben Bernanke is talking about. Wholesale inventories declined for the first time in eight months in February, falling 1.5 percent, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Wednesday (pdf), with the overall drop in...