US housing sector starts running behind 2013
25 April 2014US private housing starts in March were 5.9% below levels recorded in the same month last year.
The latest new residential construction statistics, published by the US Census Bureau and the US Department of Housing, shows that private housing starts were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000 units in March – up 2.8% on the previous month but a slower rate than in 2013.
However, seasonally adjusted annual building permit authorisations for new private homes were up 11.2% on a year ago to 990,000 but slightly down on the rate experienced in February.
Private house completions were at an adjusted rate of 872,000, up 7.7% on a year ago.
Severe weather conditions hindered the housebuilding industry at the beginning of 2014.
