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May 16, 2019US HOUSING STARTS AND BUILDING PERMITS, APRIL 2019 
US residential building permits rose 0.6 per cent in April compared to the revised March estimate, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,296,000. This is 5.0 per cent below the April 2018 estimate of 1,364,000. Year over year, permits for single unit structures declined 9.4 per cent, while permits for structures with 2 to 4 units rose 14.6 per cent and permits for structures with 5 or more units increased 1.5 per cent over April 2018.
Year-to-date, building permits are down 4.4 per cent compared to January-April 2018. Permits are down for single unit structures (-6.7 per cent) and structures with 2 to 4 units (-4.7 per cent). Permits for structures with 5 units or more was up 0.2 per cent in January to April 2019.
US housing starts increased 5.7 per cent in April compared to the revised March estimate, to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,235,000 units. This is 2.5 per cent below the April 2018 estimate of 1,267,000. Year over year, starts for single unit structures declined 4.3 per cent, while starts for structures with 5 or more units increased 1.4 per cent over April 2018.
Year-to-date, housing starts are down 7.4 per cent with declines in starts for single unit structures (-4.3 per cent) and structures with 5 or more units (-14.0 per cent).
US housing starts are an important indicator for Nova Scotia's wood exports. Though not a perfect predictor, US housing starts and the value of Nova Scotia's wood exports follow similar directions over the long-term.
Source: US Census Bureau New Residential Construction
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