[Marxism] Census Bureau Economic Briefing; BLS Real Earnings

[S. Artesian]

Sales. The U.S. Census Bureau announced today that the combined value of 
distributive trade sales and manufacturers' shipments for November, adjusted 
for seasonal and trading-day differences but not for price changes, was 
estimated at $1,057.0 billion, down 5.1 percent (±0.2%) from October 2008 
and down 8.9 percent (±0.5%) from November 2007.

Inventories. Manufacturers' and trade inventories, adjusted for seasonal 
variations but not for price changes, were estimated at an end-of-month 
level of $1,485.1 billion, down 0.7 percent (±0.1%) from October 2008, but 
up 3.3 percent (±0.5%) from November 2007.

Inventories/Sales Ratio. The total business inventories/sales ratio based on 
seasonally adjusted data at the end of November was 1.41. The November 2007 
ratio was 1.24.

full at:  http://www.census.gov/mtis/www/data/pdf/mtis_current.pdf  or html 
version: http://www.census.gov/mtis/www/mtis_current.html

and-- 

REAL EARNINGS IN NOVEMBER 2008

 Real average weekly earnings rose by 2.3 percent from October to November 
after seasonal adjustment, according to preliminary data released today by 
the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor.  This gain 
stemmed  from a 0.4 percent increase in average hourly earnings and a 2.1 
percent decrease in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and 
Clerical Workers
(CPI-W). A 0.3 percent decrease in average weekly hours partially offset 
these positive influences.

full at:  http://www.bls.gov/news.release/realer.nr0.htm