WASHINGTON—U.S. business inventories barely rose in June and the inventory-to-sales ratio fell to more than a 3-1/2-year low, suggesting businesses would need to ramp up the accumulation of stock, which would boost economic growth in the third quarter.
The Commerce Department said on Aug. 15 that business inventories edged up 0.1 percent after a downward revised 0.3 percent increase in May.
