Sales of new single-family homes in February 2012 were 313,000 at a seasonally adjusted annual rate, down 1.6 percent from January’s revised rate but up 11.4 percent from February 2011.
Building permits in February 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 717,000, up 5.1 percent from the revised January rate and up 34.3 percent from February 2011. Housing starts in February 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 698,000, down 1.1 percent from January’s revised estimate but up 34.7 percent from February 2011.
January 2012 business inventories were $1,569.0 billion, up 0.7 percent from December 2011 and up 7.6 percent from January 2011. Sales were $1,237.2 billion, up 0.4 percent from December 2011 and up 7.2 percent from January 2011.
February 2012 retail and food services sales were $407.8 billion, up 1.1 percent from the previous month and up 6.5 percent from one year ago. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in February were $335.3 billion, up 0.9 percent from January and up 6.4 percent from February 2011.
January 2012 wholesale inventories were $475.5 billion, up 0.4 percent from December and up 9.4 percent from one year earlier. Sales were $413.1 billion, down 0.1 percent from December but up 7.9 percent from December 2010.
