Wholesale sales rose 0.7% to $57.3 billion in December, a third consecutive gain. Six of the seven subsectors, representing 82% of total wholesale sales, reported increases. The machinery, equipment and supplies subsector and the building material and supplies subsector contributed the most to the advance.

In volume terms, wholesale sales were up 0.9%.

The machinery, equipment and supplies subsector reported the largest gain in dollar terms in December, increasing 2.5% to $11.6 billion. Every industry within the subsector reported higher sales, led by the construction, forestry, mining, and industrial machinery, equipment and supplies industry (+3.9%). This was the largest dollar value gain for the industry since January 2016. Imports of industrial machinery were up in December.