Business starts declined 7.6% in June to...

Business starts declined 7.6% in June to 18,681 from 20,215 in the same month last year, according to Dun & Bradstreet Corp. Business starts “were down in all of the major industry sectors and most of the geographic regions,” said the firm’s Joseph W. Duncan. The Pacific region posted an increase, up 1.1% to 3,186 from 3,151, which was attributable entirely to California, where starts were up 9.2% to 2,503 from 2,292. All other states in the region reported declines. Seven of the nine Census Bureau regions reported declines in business starts in June.