Inventories in the U.S. rose in January by the most since May 2011 as companies replenished warehouses and shelves amid signs demand will pick up. The 1 percent increase in goods on hand exceeded the highest forecast in a Bloomberg survey and followed a 0.3 percent gain in December that was more than previously estimated, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. The median estimate was for a 0.5 percent advance. Businesses are restocking after a cutback in the pace of inventory building in the fourth quarter that weighed on economic growth. Progress in the labor market is sustaining consumer spending ... (full story)