housing starts

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Housing Starts Soar to Highest Since 2008

Almost all of the growth comes in apartments, townhouses

(Newser) - The housing market might finally be coming around. The number of new homes that began construction last month took a surprise 3.6% leap to an 894,000 annual rate—the highest since July 2008, the Commerce Department announced today. That's well above the 840,000 economists surveyed by...

US Housing Construction Hits 4-Year High

Up 15% in September: Commerce department

(Newser) - US builders started construction on single-family homes and apartments in September at the fastest pace since July 2008, a further indication that the housing recovery is strengthening. The Commerce Department says builders broke ground at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000 in September. That's an increase of...

Home Construction Leaps 17%
 Home Construction Leaps 17% 
Jun 16, 2009 8:13 AM CDT

Home Construction Leaps 17%

(Newser) - Homebuilders were busy in May, as housing starts took an unexpected 17% leap, Bloomberg reports. Lower prices and tax incentives were enough to bring in the buyers, bumping the annual rate to 532,000 homes, up from 454,000 in April. Building permits were also up more than forecast. “...

Homes Shrink With the Economy

Builders' 'Depression' helps drive reduction

(Newser) - Home sizes are aligned with the shrunken economy, the Los Angeles Times reports: last year, the typical home size dropped 11%—likely the fastest plunge since the 1970s. Some 90% of builders are working on a smaller scale now, an industry poll found. “People are realizing, 'Hey, I don't...

New Home Construction Down 11% in March

Slow pace projects that market dive hasn't run its course

(Newser) - Housing construction plunged to the second-lowest level on record last month, providing a sobering sign that the worst housing slump in decades has not ended. Construction of new homes dropped by nearly 11% , the second-lowest construction pace in records that go back 50 years. The decline was worse than economists...

Stocks Wave Off Housing Surge
 Stocks Wave Off Housing Surge 
MARKET Open
Mar 17, 2009 8:50 AM CDT

Stocks Wave Off Housing Surge

(Newser) - Stocks settled into a holding pattern at the open today, as optimism over a rosy housing report was tempered by a dividend cut from Alcoa. Stocks vacillated between gains and losses, with the Dow recently down 28, while the S&P fell about 2 points and the Nasdaq rose 5....

Foreclosures Undercut Builders
 Foreclosures Undercut Builders 
Mar 11, 2009 11:00 AM CDT

Foreclosures Undercut Builders

(Newser) - Foreclosures and other vacant homes make this a tough time to be a builder, the Wall Street Journal reports. Consider Pulte Homes, which is selling a new, four-bedroom home in Las Vegas for $214,990—while a short sale nearby offers a similar Pulte-built home for $149,999. “We...

Stocks Plunge on Housing Data
 Stocks Plunge on Housing Data 
MARKETS
Oct 17, 2008 8:50 AM CDT

Stocks Plunge on Housing Data

Volatile day ahead

(Newser) - Stocks dropped today at the open, after a dour housing report reaffirmed market pessimism. But the day is expected to be a volatile one, the Wall Street Journal reports, after yesterday’s wild session. The Dow dropped 221 points at the bell, with the S&P and Nasdaq dropping 2....

Stocks Dive at Open on AIG Save, Weak Housing Starts

Financials drive decline

(Newser) - Stocks took a nosedive at the opening bell, with the Dow falling 190.28 points within minutes, as the market absorbs an AIG bailout that prevented a body blow to the economy but was none too friendly to shareholders, the Wall Street Journal reports. The insurer fell 21% at the...

Losses Continue for 2nd Day
 Losses Continue for 2nd Day 
MARKETS
Aug 19, 2008 3:31 PM CDT

Losses Continue for 2nd Day

Stagflation stalks the Street; retailers post poor results

(Newser) - Stocks fell today for a second straight session as doubts about financials persisted and economic news painted gloomy outlooks on inflation and housing, MarketWatch reports. Disappointing quarterly reports from the retail sector made a bad situation worse. The Dow fell 130.84 to 11,348.55, the Nasdaq 32.62...

Housing Starts Down; Producer Prices Up

Housing will hurt '08 growth

(Newser) - Housing starts fell yet again in February, and building permits hit a 16-year low, Bloomberg reports. The annual housing start rate fell to 1.065 million homes, a 0.6% drop from January, while permits sank 7.8%, indicating still bigger declines to come. “We don’t see it...

New Home Sales Hit 12-Year Low
New Home Sales Hit 12-Year Low
Jan 28, 2008 1:20 PM CST

New Home Sales Hit 12-Year Low

Numbers are a surprise, economists had predicted little change from November

(Newser) - Sales of new homes fell to a 12-year low in December, making 2007 the worst year on record for home sales. Economists had predicted November's numbers wouldn't get much worse; instead, sales decreased 4.7% to an annual rate of 604,000, reports Bloomberg. "We are in deep recession...

Dow Plummets 306.95 Points
Dow Plummets 306.95 Points
MARKETS
Jan 17, 2008 3:42 PM CST

Dow Plummets 306.95 Points

Manufacturing, home starts news send markets way down

(Newser) - The Dow plunged 306.95 points to 12.159.21 today, its third straight sell-off and worst loss of the new year, as rough numbers put investors in a bearish mood. The key index has now fallen more than 1,000 points since 2008 began. Merrill Lynch posted a huge...

Housing Starts Nosedive to Lowest Level Since 1991

Can you even remember the last time a housing report wasn't worse-than-expected?

(Newser) - Housing starts plunged 14% in December, demolishing median analyst estimates, which foresaw a mere 5% dip. November’s numbers were also revised down, reports the Wall Street Journal, from the 3.7% drop originally reported to 7.9%. When the dust settled, construction was at its lowest point since 1991,...

Nov. Housing Starts Fall 3.7%
Nov. Housing Starts Fall 3.7%
Dec 18, 2007 10:30 AM CST

Nov. Housing Starts Fall 3.7%

And permits for new homes fall to 14-year low

(Newser) - Housing starts fell less than expected in November, but fall they did, extending the worst housing slump since 1991. Starts fell 3.7% and, according to one analyst, probably won’t turn around until the third quarter of next year. Permits issued, which give a picture of future construction, fell...

Housing Permits at 10-Year Low
Housing Permits at 10-Year Low
Nov 20, 2007 1:45 PM CST

Housing Permits at 10-Year Low

Say it with me now: Sector hasn't hit bottom yet

(Newser) - Homebuilding permits fell for the fifth straight month in October to their lowest point since 1993, another signal that single-family home construction is drying up. Housing starts were unexpectedly up, but those were mostly work on condo projects. “All of us are ratcheting down our expectations for the bottom...

Top Chicago Homebuilder Goes Bankrupt

Neumann becomes second largest builder to fall in subprime collapse

(Newser) - Neumann homes, a top Chicago homebuilder, will file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, the Chicago Tribune reports, making it the second-largest builder felled by the dive in the housing market. The company has laid off all but 20 of its 110 workers. “I’m not overly optimistic about the...

Housing Starts Plummet to 14-Year Low

But modest consumer price hike soothes inflation fears

(Newser) - New homes starts fell to their lowest level in 14 years last month, plunging 10%—to an annualized rate of 1.191 million—after expectations of a 4.2% decline. The number followed a 3.2% drop in August, the Wall Street Journal reports. A homebuilders' confidence gauge registered its...

Consumer Confidence, New Home Sales Slump

Grim economic indicators continue to stack up

(Newser) - Indicating that the topsy-turvy economy probably won't be righting itself anytime soon, consumer confidence dropped in May, as did new home sales, a signal that the reeling housing market has yet to hit bottom. The Fed will likely take up consumer worries at a 2-day meeting that starts tomorrow, Bloomberg...

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