WASHINGTON Job openings dropped sharply in September, a sign that hiring is likely to remain weak over the next several months.

The Labor Department said Tuesday that employers advertised 2.9 million jobs at the end of September. That's a drop of 163,000, or 5.3 percent, from the previous month.

The figures come after the department issued a modestly positive employment report on Friday.

WASHINGTON — Inventories held at the wholesale level rose for a ninth consecutive month in September while sales rose for a third month, encouraging signs that the economic expansion will continue.Wholesale inventories rose 1.5 percent in September, a much bigger gain than had been expected, after a 1.2 percent increase in August, the Commerce Department reported Tuesday. Sales at the wholesale level were up 0.4 percent in September after a 0.5 percent rise in August.Inventory rebuilding has provided critical support as the economy has struggled to emerge from a deep recession. Increased orders to fill empty store shelves have translated into higher production at the nation's factories.