US December housing starts
- Prior was 1365K (revised to 1375K)
- +16.9%
- Single family starts +11.2%
- Building permits 1416K vs 1460K exp
- Permits -3.9%
- Prior permits 1482 (revised to 1474)
That's the largest one-month jump since October 2016 and unlike that number it wasn't preceded by a big dip the month before. In fact, the past two months have also been strong and this chart looks like a genuine breakout.
US housing is a big wildcard this year and it would be a major jolt for the consumer and investment spending if it picked up.
