<H3>• U.S. Residential Construction – February 2013 [building permits, housing starts]</H3>

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BUILDING PERMITS: Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 946,000. This is 4.6 percent (±0.8%) above the revised January rate of 904,000 and is 33.8 percent (±1.4%) above the February 2012 estimate of 707,000. Single-family authorizations in February were at a rate of 600,000; this is 2.7 percent (±0.7%) above the revised January figure of 584,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 316,000 in February. HOUSING STARTS: Privately-owned housing starts in February were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 917,000. This is 0.8 percent (±10.6%) above the revised January estimate of 910,000 and is 27.7 percent (±13.7%) above the February 2012 rate of 718,000. Single-family housing starts in February were at a rate of 618,000; this is 0.5 percent (±12.1%) above the revised January figure of 615,000. The February rate for units in buildings with five units or more was 285,000. Source: USDOC-Census

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