MAY HOUSING STARTS UP

The U.S. Census Bureau and the Department of Housing and Urban Development reported late last week that May Privately-owned housing starts rose 0.2 percent above April figures, to a seasonally adjusted rate of 2,009,000.

Single-family housing starts for May rose a healthy 4.7 percent, to a seasonally adjusted rate of 1,704,000.

Building permits for May, however dipped 4.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 2,050,000. Permits for single family structures also pulled back declining 1.3 percent to 1,619,000.

Housing completions in May hit a seasonlally adjusted rate of 2,071,000, 6.9 percent above April figures.