U.S. wholesale inventories fell as previously reported in October amid a surge in sales, supporting views that inventory investment would provide a modest boost to economic growth in the fourth quarter. The Commerce Department said on Friday that wholesale inventories decreased 0.4 percent after rising 0.1 percent in September. The department reported last month that wholesale inventories declined 0.4 percent in October. The component of wholesale inventories that goes into the calculation of GDP - wholesale stocks excluding autos - also fell 0.4 percent in October. Inventory investment contributed half a percentage ... (full story)