Business Inventories Take Largest Drop in Three Years

Business inventories fell 0.2% in September, the largest decline in three years, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The decline in goods unsold at factories, retailers and wholesalers followed a revised 0.2% increase in August. Sales dropped 2%, compared with a 2.2% decrease the month before.

The decline, the biggest since July 2005, was larger than the 0.1% forecast by analysts, Bloomberg reported.

When sales are growing, it usually means trucking is seeing additional demand to deliver goods and restock shelves.

Higher inventories mean goods are not being sold at a rapid pace, which could lower demand for trucking services.