Building permits in January 2012 were 676,000, up 0.7 percent from December and up 19.0 percent from January 2011. Housing starts in January 2012 were 699,000, up 1.5 percent from December and up 9.9 percent from January 2011.
December 2011 business inventories were $1,555.5 billion, up 0.4 percent from November 2011 and up 7.7 percent from December 2010. Sales were $1,230.0 billion, up 0.7 percent from November 2011 and up 8.9 percent from 2010.
January 2012 retail and food services sales were $401.4 billion, up 0.4 percent from the previous month and up 5.8 percent from one year ago. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in January were $329.7 billion, up 0.7 percent from December and up 5.5 percent from January 2011.
The December 2011 international trade deficit rose 3.7 percent from the prior month, to $48.8 billion. Exports increased 0.7 percent to $178.8 billion, and imports increased 1.3 percent, to $227.6 billion.
The 2011 international trade deficit increased 11.6 percent from 2010, to $558.0 billion. Exports rose 14.5 percent to $2,103.1 billion, and imports increased 13.8 percent to 2,661.1 billion.
December 2011 wholesale inventories were $473.2 billion, up 1.0 percent from November 2011 and up 10.0 percent from one year earlier. Sales were $413.1 billion, up 1.3 percent from November and up 11.8 percent from December 2010.
