• Prior month 0.8%
  • Wholesale trade for December -0.2% vs 0.2% expected
  • Prior month -0.2%

Manufacturing sales increased for the third consecutive month, rising 0.3% to $71.4 billion in December, with gains in 12 of 21 subsectors. Higher sales of petroleum and coal (+3.4%), food products (+1.9%), and primary metals (+3.9%) were partially offset by a 5.0% decline in motor vehicle sales. Compared to December 2023, total sales were 0.3% higher.

On a quarterly basis, sales rose 1.6% to $213.3 billion in the fourth quarter of 2024, following four consecutive quarterly declines. The transportation equipment (+3.3%) and wood product (+10.0%) subsectors contributed the most to the quarterly increase.

Source: Forex Live