US housing starts surge, but building permits slump

17th Jul 2026 13:36

(Sharecast News) - Housing starts in the United States surged by almost a fifth in June, according to data from the Census Bureau on Friday, though permits to start building declined more than expected.

Housing starts totalled 1.427m units last month, up 19% from the six-year low of 1.199m reported in May and 3.5% ahead of June 2025.

This was the highest in three months and comfortably ahead of the 1.310m expected by analysts.

However, privately owned housing units authorised by building permits dropped 3.0% to 1.367m, falling 2.3% year-on-year.

Permits are a closely followed indicator of future construction activity and wider economic conditions. This was the second straight monthly decline in permits authorised and the fourth fall since the start of 2026, signalling potential problems ahead for the construction sector.