US wholesale inventories increased 0.2% in October, rebounding from a stagnant September, per data from the Census Bureau. Rising inventories are expected as businesses stockpile goods to prepare for potential tariffs under President-elect Donald Trump. The inventory-to-sales ratio was broadly flat at 1.34 months, pointing to wholesalers responding to the risk of tariff hikes. 

Wesco, an electrical supplies distributor, has finalized its $185 million acquisition of Ascent, a data center management company based in St. Louis that has more than 300 employees in the US and Canada. "Ascent's expertise in engineering and design-build consultation services, in addition to daily site operations, extends our suite of capabilities and solutions that serve the entire life cycle of the data center," says Wesco CEO John Engel.

NorthSky Supply has launched as a digital-first maintenance, repair and operations distributor, offering MRO products and industrial supplies to light manufacturers and warehouses through an ecommerce platform. The product range includes safety equipment, hand tools and test instruments, and exclusive brands such as Black Canyon Tools and Olympia Safety Products.

The economy added 227,000 jobs to nonfarm payrolls last month as the impact of storms and other disruptions receded, according to the Labor Department. Meanwhile, the unemployment rate edged upward to 4.2%.

Amazon has launched its most automated warehouse yet in Shreveport, La., integrating robotics and AI throughout the fulfillment process to take over physically strenuous and repetitive tasks. While some companies have leaned into fully automated warehouses, the Amazon facility also employs 1,400 workers -- with plans to expand to 2,500 -- who will manage the robots and complete tasks that robots cannot proficiently perform, such as picking orders, managing robotic systems and loading and unloading trucks. "The tactile grasp that the human hand has, and the situational awareness and the perception of the human brain, is unmatched," said Tye Brady, chief technologist at Amazon Robotics.

Supply chain executives will focus on supply chain restrictions, quantifying risk exposure and reputational risk in 2025, according to Moody's. Constraints such as excluding Chinese software are likely to push costs up in the US, while growing corporate transparency demands will create additional pressure on organizations to monitor and respond to potentially compromising situations.

B2B branding is undergoing a significant transformation as companies like Beam and Eutelsat adopt innovative strategies to stand out, writes Iris' Matt Gully. This shift from traditional branding approaches emphasizes the importance of creating compelling brand stories that connect emotionally and rationally with a diverse audience.

Lone wolves in the workplace can hinder innovation and create resentment, but leaders can encourage a team-oriented mindset by defining clear goals and behaviors, negotiating new agreements, measuring key performance indicators and recognizing success, writes leadership consultant Michael Timms. Regular one-on-one meetings and enforcing consequences for noncooperation are also crucial for fostering a cohesive team culture, Timms writes.

Employers are preparing for significant challenges in 2025, including rising health care costs, the need for increased vendor accountability and potential policy changes stemming from the 2024 election, according to the Business Group on Health. Health care costs are projected to rise more than they have in a decade, prompting employers to reevaluate partnerships and explore alternative cost management strategies.

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