Caterpillar's Truck Engine Sales Decline in November

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aterpillar Inc.’s engine sales growth slowed to the lowest level this year in November, led by a decline in truck and bus engines, according to figures posted on the company’s Web site.

Overall engine sales growth was 8%, while truck and bus engine sales declined 20%, the company reported.

A company spokesman told Transport Topics he could not comment on the figures because the company was "cautious of getting into any discussion that would take us into an outlook" ahead of its year-end results, which are due out in late January.

Truck and bus engine sales had dipped 7% in October, but had been in positive territory for all previous months of 2005, according to company data.

Sales in that category grew by 3% in September, 18% in August and 22% in July.

Total engine sales of 8% marked the third straight decline in monthly growth — prior to November, overall sales grew by 16% in October, 18% in September and 23% in August.