U.S. housing starts fall, permits up

WASHINGTON — U.S. housing starts in March were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,215,000, 6.8% below the revised February estimate of 1,303,000, but 9.2% above last March’s rate of 1,113,000. The rate of single-family housing starts was 821,000, 6.2% below the revised February figure. Building permits, at a SAAR of 1.26 million, increased 3.6% from the previous month and 17% from the same time last year.