U.S. preliminary building permits dropped more than expected in May 2026, falling 0.7% month-over-month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.413 million. The latest data, released on June 16, 2026, by the U.S. Census Bureau, missed the Wall Street consensus estimate of 1.420 million.
📊 Key Performance Breakdown
- Single-Family Permits: Rose slightly by 0.6% to a rate of 886,000.
- Multi-Family Permits: Dragged the overall index down, with structures of 5 or more units falling 3.5% to 474,000.
- Housing Starts: Experienced a sharper decline, plunging 15.4% to an annualized rate of 1.177 million against the 1.430 million expected.
🗺️ Regional Activity Shifts
- Midwest: Plummets 18.1% down to 195,000 permits.
- West: Increases 5.5% to 324,000 permits.
- Northeast: Climbs 3.1% to 134,000 permits.
- South: Edges up 1.6% to 760,000 permits.
For detailed breakdowns, historical trends, and customized time-series data, you can track the full survey on the FRED Economic Data Portal.
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