US housing remains under pressure from high mortgage rates as construction outlook weakens

๐Ÿ  Census data released on October 20 showed September housing starts fell an estimated 5.2% from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.221 million, below expectations of around 1.30 million.

๐Ÿ“‰ Single-family building permits dropped 4% to an annual rate of 845,000, the lowest in about 3ยฝ years. This indicator of future construction suggests a recovery may take time.

๐Ÿฆ The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate stood at 7.40% in the week ending October 15, constraining affordability and weighing on demand and new projects.

๐Ÿ”Ž The figures raise concerns that residential investment could weigh on US growth. However, the monthly decline in starts carries a wide margin of error, making further reports necessary to assess the trend.

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