Housing Starts Plunge as Layoffs Rise—Is the U.S. Economy Losing Its Momentum?

Single-family starts edged up slightly to 924,000—just 0.4% above April—offering minimal relief.

Building permits, a forward-looking indicator, also declined by 2% to 1.393 million, suggesting the slowdown may persist into the summer. Single-family permits dropped 2.7%, while multi-family authorizations fell to 444,000 units.

Completions Rise, But Can Builders Keep Pace?

Housing completions offered a short-term boost, rising 5.4% to 1.526 million units. Single-family completions jumped 8.1% to