Single-family housing starts posted a double-digit percentage gain in December, but production is running well below a rate of 1 million units annually, indicating ongoing weakness in the housing market as high construction costs and elevated interest rates continue to present affordability challenges.

Pending home sales slid for the sixth consecutive month in November, according to the National Association of Realtors. All four U.S. regions recorded month-over-month decreases, and all four regions saw year-over-year declines in transactions.

While new home sales received a slight bounce in November from moderating mortgage rates, the housing market continues to struggle because of ongoing supply chain disruptions, elevated construction costs and challenging affordability conditions.

Existing-home sales declined for the tenth month in a row in November, according to the National Association of Realtors. All four major U.S. regions recorded month-over-month and year-over-year declines.

Total construction starts fell 18% in November to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $926.3 billion, according to Dodge Construction Network. During the month, nonresidential building starts lost 25%, nonbuilding shed 21%, and residential starts dropped 5%.

NAHB reports that multifamily units under construction is reaching a near 50-year high, and multifamily permit growth is weakening. Single-family housing starts continued to fall in November.

Pending home sales slid for the fifth consecutive month in October, according to the National Association of Realtors. Three of four U.S. regions recorded month-over-month decreases, and all four regions recorded year-over-year declines in transactions.

Total construction starts rose 8% in October to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of $1.12 trillion, according to Dodge Construction Network. In October, nonresidential building starts gained 9%, and nonbuilding starts rose 26%; however, residential starts fell by 3%.

Elevated mortgage rates, high construction costs for concrete and other building materials and weakening demand stemming from deteriorating affordability conditions continue to act as a drag on single-family housing production.

Total construction spending declined by 0.7 percent in August as spending on new houses turned sharply lower, while public and private nonresidential construction posted mixed results, according to an analysis of federal spending data released by the Associated General Contractors of America.