Exports rose faster than imports in the Second Quarter
The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the combined value of business to business (B2B) sales and shipments for November, was estimated at $1,271.6 billion, up 1.0% from October 2012 and up 4.3% from November 2011.
Manufacturers’ and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month level of $1,621.5 billion, up 0.3% from October 2012 and up 5.5% from November 2011.
The total business inventories/sales ratio based on seasonally adjusted data at the end of November was 1.28. The November 2011 ratio was 1.26.
These numbers show a strengthened economy from last year, but with inventories beginning to build up as cautious businesses and consumer wait perhaps for resolution of the debt ceiling issue.
If the government is forced to close down and/or default on its obligations, the possibility of heading into another recession is high, according to experts.
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