Apt reforms at close of business with stock dropping (6)
I believe the answer is:
amends
'apt reforms' is the definition.
'amends' can be an answer for 'reforms'. I am not certain of the 'apt' bit.
'at close of business with stock dropping' is the wordplay.
'at' says to put letters next to each other.
'close of' indicates one should take the final letters (the letter which ends or closes the word).
'with' becomes 'and'.
'stock' indicates putting letters inside (some letters contain or stock others).
'dropping' becomes 'me' (I can't justify this - if you can you should give a lot more credence to this answer).
The final letter of 'business' is 's'.
'and' placed around 'me' is 'amend'.
's' put after 'amend' is 'AMENDS'.
Can you help me to learn more?
(Other definitions for amends that I've seen before include "Make these to atone for injuries or loss caused" , "Corrects" , "They're made to compensate" , "It is made in reparation" , "Frees from error" .)