US: Building permits increase 1.5% in July vs. 1.4% expected

"Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,311,000," the U.S. Census Bureau and the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development jointly announced on Thursday.

Key quotes from the official publication

• This is 1.5 percent above the revised June rate of 1,292,000 and is 4.2 percent above the July 2017 rate of 1,258,000. 
• Privately-owned housing starts in July were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,168,000.
  • This is 0.9 percent above the revised June estimate of 1,158,000 but is 1.4 percent below the July 2017 rate of 1,185,000.
• Single-family housing starts in July were at a rate of 862,000; this is 0.9 percent above the revised June figure of 854,000.