Sales of new single-family houses in September 2012 were 389,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, up 5.7 percent from August’s revised level and up 27.1 percent from September 2011.
Building permits in September 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 894,000, up 11.6 percent from the revised August rate and up 45.1 percent from September 2011. Housing starts in September 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 872,000, up 15.0 percent from the revised August estimate and up 34.8 percent from September 2011.
August 2012 business inventories were $1,601.7 billion, up 0.6 percent from July and up 5.3 percent from August 2011. Sales were $1,246.6 billion, up 0.5 percent from July and up 3.1 percent from August 2011.
September 2012 retail and food services sales were $412.9 billion, up 1.1 percent from the previous month and up 5.4 percent from one year earlier. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in September were $337.4 billion, up 1.1 percent from August and up 4.8 percent from September 2011.
The August 2012 international trade deficit increased 4.1 percent from July, to $44.2 billion. Exports fell 1.0 percent, to $181.3 billion, and imports declined 0.1 percent, to $225.5 billion.
