Caterpillar Faces Antitrust Trial Over Alleged Boycott of Rival

Caterpillar Inc. lost its bid to avoid a federal antitrust trial in Delaware over claims that it sought to hobble a rival by blocking its access to an online sales platform, but Komatsu Ltd.'s US unit escaped the case.

Judge Richard G. Andrews denied Caterpillar’s summary judgment motion Monday, saying a jury could rule either way on allegations that Caterpillar pressured the sales portal, IronPlanet, to stop doing business with International Construction Products LLC, which imports equipment from China.

Andrews cited evidence that an IronPlanet executive told ICP it was ending their relationship because of pressure from Caterpillar. There’s also ...