Inventories for the United States unexpectedly fell in January, dropping 0.1% after being unchanged in December, according to the Commerce Department's Census Bureau. This drop is expected to negatively impact economic growth in the first quarter. Inventories increased by 1.0% on a year-over-year basis. Retail inventories rose by 0.3% in January after gaining 0.5% in December. The decline in wholesale stocks at wholesalers is seen as a significant step forward, marking their third consecutive quarterly decline.