The US Census Bureau announced today that advance estimates of US retail and food services sales for August, adjusted for seasonal variation and holiday and trading-day differences, but not for price changes, were $351.4 billion, an increase of 2.7 percent from the previous month, but 5.3 percent below August 2008. Business sales rose 0.1 percent in July.

Total sales for the June through August 2009 period were down 7.6 percent from the same period a year ago. The June to July 2009 percent change was revised from -0.1 percent to -0.2 percent.

Retail trade sales were up 3.0 percent from July 2009, but 6.0 percent  below last year. Gasoline stations sales were down 26.7 percent from August 2008 and building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers were down 13.6 percent from last year.

Business sales/inventories

Sales: The Census Bureau also announced today that the combined value of distributive trade sales and manufacturers’ shipments for July, adjusted for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was estimated at $978.4 billion, up 0.1 percent from June 2009 and down 17.8 percent  from July 2008.

Inventories: Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,332.5 billion, down 1.0 percent  from June 2009 and down 11.8 percent from July 2008.

Inventories/Sales Ratio: The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of July was 1.36. The July 2008 ratio was 1.27.