Housing starts rose 2.1 percent in July, landing at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.21 million units, the Commerce Department said Tuesday. The July figure was 5.6 percent above the July 2015 rate. Permits for new construction, which are considered a gauge of future demand, were 0.1 percent below June’s rate, landing at an annual rate of 1.15 million.
Banking agencies seek public comment on strategies to combat payments fraud
The FDIC, Federal Reserve and OCC issued a request for comment on potential actions to help consumers, businesses and financial institutions mitigate risks related to payments fraud, particularly check fraud.