FX.co ★ US Building Permits Rise More than Expected

US building permits increased by 4.3% in December 2025, reaching a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.448 million, surpassing market expectations of 1.40 million. Permits for multifamily buildings with five or more units jumped 18.1% to 515,000, while single-family permits declined 1.7% to 881,000. By region, permits rose in the Northeast (up 44.1% to 147,000), the Midwest (up 6.6% to 210,000), and the West (up 8% to 353,000), but decreased in the South (down 4.1% to 716,000).