U.S. housing starts, permits up

WASHINGTON — The rate of building permits in the U.S. for November was 1,298,000 units, seasonally adjusted, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That rate is 1.4% below the revised October rate of 1,316,000, but represents a 3.4% increase from a year ago, when the figure was 1,255,000. Housing starts for the month came to 1,297,000, up 3.3% from October and 12.9% from 1,149,000 a year ago.