Australia HIA New Home Sales (February): +0.2% m/m (prior -2.2%)

Housing Industry Association (HIA) in Australia

Reporting sales of newly built houses (the HIA survey large volume builders for this)

+0.2% m/m in February

• -2.2% for the month before

Houses -0.1%

• apartments +1%

HIA Chief Economist, Dr Harley Dale

• "... HIA detached house sales and ABS detached house building approvals ... The updates that we are receiving for these two key leading indicators of new home building activity are consistent with a modest reduction in national new detached house commencements in 2016/17."