Inventories Dropped in August, Commerce Says

October 15, 2002 12:30 PM, EDT

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usiness inventories dropped during August for the first time four months, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday.

Replacement of inventories can trigger truck demand.

Inventories on shelves and back lots dropped by 0.1% in August, the Associated Press said, calling it a sign that businesses were feeling even more skittish about the economy.

Sales grew by 2% in August, which represented a slowdown from the brisk