By Steve Goldstein
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Business inventories rose 0.4% to a seasonally adjusted $1.58 trillion, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday. The ratio of inventories to sales stayed the same at 1.26. Most of the inventories gain came from motor vehicles and parts, where inventories jumped 1.9%. The worst showing came from food and beverage stories, where inventories fell 0.4%. Excluding motor vehicles and parts, inventories edged up 0.1%.
