Caterpillar Inc said on Monday that dealer sales of its heavy equipment fell 48 percent in August, with the sharpest declines in the U.S. blue-chip industrial's truck and bus and industrial segments.

The world's largest maker of earth-moving equipment said dealer sales of its equipment fell 57 percent in North America in August -- a more modest decline than the 59 percent July drop. But they but declined more sharply in Latin America, where they fell 37 percent compared with 28 percent in July, and 33 percent in the Asia-Pacific region, compared with 30 percent in July.

Sales in the Europe, Africa and Middle East region were down 50 percent, on par with July's decline, according to a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Caterpillar shares fell 2 percent to $52.15 on the New York Stock Exchange.

(Reporting by Scott Malone, editing by Gerald E. McCormick)

Caterpillar Manufacturing Down