STOCKPILES HIGHER: U.S. wholesalers increased their stockpiles 0.5 percent in August from July.
SALES REBOUND: Sales at the wholesale level jumped 0.9 percent in August, ending three months of declines. The sales increase was the biggest one-month gain since February.
OUTLOOK: Companies typically boost their stockpiles when they anticipate sales will rise in coming months. Faster restocking helps drive economic growth. When businesses order more goods, it generally leads to more factory production.