USA: Business Inventories Rise 0.5% as Expected.

Business inventories in the US increased 0.5% month-over-month in April 2026, following an upwardly revised 1% rise in March which was the biggest gain since June 2022 and in line with market expectations. A slowdown was seen in inventories at manufacturers (0.3% vs 0.7%), retailers (0.7% vs 0.8%) and merchant wholesalers (0.6% vs 1.5%). Year-on-year, business inventories increased 2.7%.