New U.S. home construction fell more than projected in August as a plunge in the South, the biggest region for building, more than offset gains in the rest of the country. Residential starts declined 5.8 percent to a 1.14 million annualized rate, from the prior month’s revised 1.21 million pace, a Commerce Department report showed Tuesday in Washington. The median estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg called for a drop to 1.19 million.
Permits, a proxy for future construction, unexpectedly slipped on fewer applications for apartment projects. Permits decreased 0.4 percent to a 1.14 million annualized rate. They were projected to rise to a 1.17 million rate, according to the survey median.
Euro is currently being traded around 1.1160 level, Sterling is at 1.2980 area, while Aussie is at 0.7550 handle.