What wholesale inventory says about goods in our economy

May 30, 2024
Wholesalers supply both retailers and manufacturers.
When wholesale inventories run low, they can suggest robust retail sales.
Benjamin Lowy/Getty Images

Supply chains are tightening again. This time, it looks like a good sign for the economy.

Mar 14, 2024
Early in the pandemic, congested supply chains drove inflation. Now, we’re seeing growth without major disruptions.
Bringing capacity back into the supply chain could indicate a potential boost in GDP, said Dale Rogers of Arizona State.
Julia Nikhinson/AFP via Getty Images

Corporate profits have been trending down. That's what the Federal Reserve wants to see.

Nov 28, 2023
It means interest rate hikes are having the intended effect. Tapering consumer demand and high labor costs are weighing on earnings.
Corporate profits are feeling the effects of high interest rates and labor costs as well as weaker consumer demand.
Ludovic Marin/AFP via Getty Images

Small retailers are caught between order backlogs and ramping demand

Oct 29, 2021
Three independent retailers on how they're dealing with shortages, price increases and high demand.
The interior of one Dean's Sweets location in Portland, Maine. "If we sell more chocolate with a lower profit margin, we're still going to be OK," said co-owner Kristin Thalheimer Bingham.
Courtesy of Kristin Thalheimer Bingham

Business inventories didn't decline as sharply in September. That's good news.

Oct 28, 2021
It means businesses know that consumers want to buy and are working to meet that demand.
A person walks in a partially stocked Ikea on Oct. 15. Consumer demand is high, meaning products often fly off retailers' shelves.
Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images

What the “beer game” can teach about supply chain challenges

Jun 29, 2021
From semiconductors to chicken wings, global supply chains are experiencing whiplash. A Harvard professor explains how to avoid that.
Kegs stacked outside distribution for a brewery in Reydon, England. A supply chain management exercise known as the “beer game” can help illustrate the forces creating shortages across the economy.
Photo by Oli Scarff/Getty Images

Why business owners are stocking up on inventory

Jun 15, 2021
Supply chain bottlenecks and a booming economy are pushing business owners to create a buffer — even taking out loans to do so.
Many businesses are stocking up on goods to meet customer demands.
Chip Somodevilla via Getty Images

For public good, not for profit.

What happens to consumer demand when products are scarce?

Jun 11, 2021
Do you wait? Change your plans? Buy something else?
Amy Sussman/Getty Images

Inflation watch: Shipping container rates and prices soar on U.S. customer demand

Mar 17, 2021
Clogged U.S. ports don't just mean a longer wait time for you, the consumer. They also mean ripple effects for Chinese exporters.
Shipping traffic jams in North American are creating a container shortage in China, where almost all containers are manufactured.
STR/AFP via Getty Images