Sales of new single-family homes in December 2009 fell 7.6% from November and declined 8.6% from December 2008, to 342,000. For the full year 2009, new
home sales fell 22.9% from 2008.
Building permits in December 2009 were 653,000, an increase of 10.9% from November and 15.8% above the December 2008 estimate. Housing starts fell 4.0% from the prior month, to 557,000. This was 0.2% above the December 2008 estimate.
Business inventories in November 2009 increased 0.4% from the prior month, but were down 11.1% from the year before to $1,313.2 billion. Sales increased 2.0% from October, but were down 0.4% from November 2008 to $1,027.4 billion.
The U.S. international trade deficit in goods and services in November 2009 increased 9.7% to $36.4 billion. Exports rose 0.9% to $138.2 billion, and imports increased 2.6% to $174.6 billion.
Wholesale inventories in November 2009 increased 1.5% to $386.3 billion from October, but remained 11.0% below their level in November 2008. Sales increased 3.3% to $337.4 billion from the prior month, and are 0.6% higher than a year ago.
