WASHINGTON, Nov. 16 (Xinhua) -- U.S. wholesale inventories fell for a 13th consecutive month in September, the Commerce Department reported on Monday.

    The department said inventories declined 0.4 percent in September, less worse than the 0.7 percent drop economists had expected.

    Sales at the wholesale level posted a 0.3 percent decline in September, the first setback since May.

    Analysts say that the American businesses are still struggling to trim stockpiles amid the longest recession since World War II.

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