By Joshua KirbyU.S. business inventories rose a little more than expected in August, suggesting consumers are beginning to spend more freely as inflation eases. Inventories rose by an adjusted 0.4% in August, data from the U.S. Commerce Department showed Tuesday. In July, inventories edged up 0.1%, a figure revised up from a previous estimate of an unchanged level. Inventories rose by 1.0% on month at retailers and by 0.3% at manufacturers, though wholesalers saw a slight slip in their stock, according to the Commerce Department's figures. Write to Joshua Kirby at joshua.kirby@wsj.com; @joshualeokirby(END) Dow Jones NewswiresOctober 17, 2023 10:34 ET (14:34 GMT)Copyright (c) 2023 Dow Jones & Company, Inc.

Source: Wall Street Journal October 17, 2023 14:42 UTC