Meanwhile, the Commerce Department reported that housing starts climbed 8.3 percent in July.

Moreover, the sides would have to negotiate what constitutes a "housing start."

But that view on growth and inflation was thrown into question after the Commerce Department reported that housing starts surged 5.9 percent in April.

And so declining housing starts do mean fewer jobs in home construction.

Copper and lumber prices tumbled after the Government reported that housing starts fell sharply in June.

When the people living in public housing start living in the Back, they're not going to want a Fairway and the traffic it brings, either.

Moreover, the January number represents the fifth straight month that housing starts have run at an annual rate exceeding 1.5 million, regarded as vigorous growth.

Also yesterday, the Commerce Department reported that housing starts grew 4.8 percent in June, to 1.45 million units, at the high end of expectations.

Also, a report of stronger-than-expected housing starts gave investors little incentive to buy bonds with yields near record lows.

In America, slow population growth means that housing starts have been falling for years.