Wholesale sales rose in the three months to September driven by a rise in vehicle, grocery, liquor and tobacco wholesaling.
Seasonally adjusted sales rose 1.5%, compared with a 1.5% fall in the previous quarter.
The seasonally adjusted value of total wholesale stocks in the third quarter rose 2.3% to $9.2 billion.
The data monitors the sector which supplies retailers and is one of the final contributions to gross domestic product data to be released on 19 December.
Economist at ASB Christina Leung says the rise suggests production volumes increased over the September quarter.
