1.   Auto, furniture and industrial machinery inventories posted declines, as did a variety of nondurable goods like farm products, petroleum and pharmaceuticals.

2.   Clothing inventories also posted a large gain.

3.   Coffee jumped after exchange inventories posted a surprisingly large drop, renewing concern that supplies will stay tight during the weeks ahead.

4.   Clothing inventories also posted a large gain during April.

5.   Crude and heating oil prices rose in the wake of a report showing U.S. inventories posted surprising declines last week.

6.   Expectations that the American Gas Association will report that U.S. natural gas inventories posted a large drop last week also boosted prices, traders said.

7.   U.S. wholesale inventories posted the largest decline in almost a decade in December, Commerce Department figures showed today.