U.S. businesses stockpiled goods in September at...

U.S. businesses stockpiled goods in September at the fastest pace in six months in anticipation of healthy holiday sales and possible supply disruptions if year 2000 computer problems occur. Inventories rose 0.4% while business sales fell 0.2%, the first decline since January, the Commerce Department said. The inventory-to-sales ratio, which measures the time goods sit at businesses, remained at 1.33 months during September, the lowest since the government started compiling the data in 1980.