In the US session Housing Starts and Building Permits data was released. Privately-owned housing starts in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,089,000, slightly above market predictions. This is 4.4% above the revised November estimate of 1,043,000 and is 5.3% above the December 2013 rate of 1,034,000. Single-family housing starts in December were at a rate of 728,000; this is 7.2% above the revised November figure of 679,000.
Privately-owned housing units authorized by building permits in December were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,032,000. This was below expected figures of, 1,060,000. This is 1.9% below the revised November rate of 1,052,000, but is 1.0% above the December 2013 estimate of Single-family authorizations in December were at a rate of 667,000; this is 4.5% above the revised November figure of 638,000. Authorizations of units in buildings with five units or more were at a rate of 338,000 in December.
Tomorrow's session will bring only MI Inflation Expectations data from Australia. Figure above 3.2% is anticipated. In the US session Unemployment Claims figures are scheduled for a release. Decrease to 301,000 is forecasted.
Figures to watch:
Unemployment Claims (Thursday 14:30)
