• Prior month 0.0% revised from +0.1%

Details

• Sales: $1.9746T in January; +0.3% m/m (vs Dec 2025), +4.5% y/y
• Inventories: $2.6750T; -0.1% m/m vs 0.1 estimate, +1.0% y/y
• Inventories/Sales Ratio: 1.35, down from 1.40 in Jan 2025

Summary:

Demand remains steady with modest growth in sales, while inventories edged slightly lower, tightening supply relative to demand. The decline in the inventories/sales ratio points to improving efficiency and potentially supportive conditions for production going forward.

Looking at the inventory to sales ratio, it is near the low of what is a normal range between 1.35 and 1.42. Inventories are lean. That could foreshadow an inventory buildup is forthcoming if it is voluntary.