|

US: Building permits in April were at 1,229,000, 2.5% below the revised March rate of 1,260,000

The U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced the following new residential construction statistics for April 2017:

  • Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,229,000. This is 2.5 percent (±1.1 percent) below the revised March rate of 1,260,000, but is 5.7 percent (±1.4 percent) above the April 2016 rate of 1,163,000
  • Privately-owned housing starts in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,172,000. This is 2.6 percent (±8.8 percent) below the revised March estimate of 1,203,000, but is 0.7 percent (±7.0 percent) above the April 2016 rate of 1,164,000
  • Privately-owned housing completions in April were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,106,000. This is 8.6 percent (±10.8 percent)* below the revised March estimate of 1,210,000, but is 15.1 percent (±12.2 percent) above the April 2016 rate of 961,000

Author

Eren Sengezer

As an economist at heart, Eren Sengezer specializes in the assessment of the short-term and long-term impacts of macroeconomic data, central bank policies and political developments on financial assets.

More from Eren Sengezer
Share:

Editor's Picks

GBP/USD tumbles to three-day lows around 1.3420

GBP/USD comes under extra selling pressure and revisits the area of multi-day lows near 1.3420 in quite a bearish start to the week. Cable’s decline comes amid the firmer Greenback as investors continue to assess developments in the US-Iran conflict. Moving forward, attention will turn to the UK employment report on Tuesday.


EUR/USD declines to near 1.1400 as US launches fresh strikes on Iran

The EUR/USD pair posts modest losses around 1.1410 during the early Asian trading hours on Tuesday. Renewed tensions between the United States (US) and Iran continue to fuel risk-off sentiment, weighing on the Euro (EUR) against the US Dollar (USD). The ZEW surveys from Germany and the Eurozone are due later on Tuesday.  Also, the US ADP employment report will be released. 

Gold holds above $4,000 as inflation-driven Fed hike bets cap upside

Gold holds steady above $4,000 during the Asian session on Tuesday, though the upside potential seems limited. Inflation fears stemming from elevated oil prices reaffirm bets for higher US interest rates, which, along with an escalation in the Middle East war, continue to underpin the safe-haven US Dollar. This should act as a headwind for the non-yielding bullion, warranting caution for bullish traders before positioning for any meaningful gains.

Grayscale eyes Worldcoin ETF launch following S-1 filing

Grayscale filed an S-1 registration statement with the US Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday to launch a Grayscale Worldcoin ETF. The proposed fund, which would trade on Nasdaq under the ticker GWLD, is designed to give investors exposure to Worldcoin through a traditional brokerage account, eliminating the need to buy the token directly.

Here's where the Canadian Dollar is headed next: 4 bearish scenarios and a bullish one
The Canadian Dollar (CAD) has ridden a volatile first half of the year, with Oil prices surging and then falling as markets danced to the Middle East’s tune. Neither the Bank of Canada nor the Federal Reserve has changed rates so far this year, and the USD/CAD's next move may depend on which of the two banks fails to deliver what markets expect.
US Dollar mid-year outlook: Exceptional currency, exceptional risks?
The US Dollar enters the second half of 2026 in a markedly different position from a year ago. The King currency has recovered, reflecting persistent US inflation, changing expectations for Fed policy, geopolitical tensions and renewed demand for defensive assets.