Business inventories post bigger-than-expected gain in November after prolonged weakness

Business inventories rise 0.4 percent in November

WASHINGTON — Businesses boosted inventories by a bigger-than-expected amount in November, after slashing stockpiles for a prolonged period.

The Commerce Department said Thursday that business inventories rose by 0.4 percent in November, double the 0.2 percent rise that economists had expected. It was the second consecutive rise in inventories after 13 months of declines. The hope is that businesses will begin restocking their depleted shelves, helping to support the economic recovery.

The government reported that total business sales rose by 2 percent in November, the best performance in two years.