Inventories Rise: Business inventories continued their steady...

Inventories Rise: Business inventories continued their steady rise in January, accompanied by healthy growth in sales, the Commerce Department said in a report that showed continued strength in the aging economic expansion. Inventories held on shelves and back lots rose 0.7% to a seasonally adjusted $766.2 billion in January, the 25th straight month in which inventories have increased. Sales, meanwhile, rose 1% to a seasonally adjusted $513.9 billion in January. An advance report on February’s retail sales said auto purchases were down an additional 1.7% last month.