By Greg Robb
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Inventories at U.S. businesses fell 0.2% in December, below expectations and slower than the 0.9% increase in sales, the Commerce Department said Friday. Economists had been expecting the nation's inventories to be flat in December, according to a survey conducted by MarketWatch. The inventory-to-sales ratio, an indication of demand, fell to 1.26 in December from 1.27 in the prior month. This is the lowest level since November 2007.
