Housing Starts Rise, Permits Dip

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.