Important Information
This website is managed by Ultima Markets’ international entities, and it’s important to emphasise that they are not subject to regulation by the FCA in the UK. Therefore, you must understand that you will not have the FCA’s protection when investing through this website – for example:
Note: Ultima Markets is currently developing a dedicated website for UK clients and expects to onboard UK clients under FCA regulations in 2026.
If you would like to proceed and visit this website, you acknowledge and confirm the following:
Ultima Markets wants to make it clear that we are duly licensed and authorised to offer the services and financial derivative products listed on our website. Individuals accessing this website and registering a trading account do so entirely of their own volition and without prior solicitation.
By confirming your decision to proceed with entering the website, you hereby affirm that this decision was solely initiated by you, and no solicitation has been made by any Ultima Markets entity.
I confirm my intention to proceed and enter this websiteU.S. single-family homebuilding rose to a 10-month high in December, suggesting some improvement in housing activity toward the end of the year. However, rising mortgage rates and an oversupply of new homes on the market could slow the pace of recovery.
According to a report from the Commerce Department on Friday, permits for future single-family home construction also increased last month, reaching their highest level since February 2024. Many economists averred that, when adjusted for seasonal differences, this increase could be pretty much a blip.
Single-family housing starts, which make up the bulk of homebuilding activity, with an annual rate based on a census, rose by 3.3% in December to its highest level since February 2024 while also being adjusted seasonally, the Census Bureau of the Commerce Department said. Regionally, single-family homebuilding increased by 14.3% in Northeast and 8.3% in the Midwest. It was up 7.1% in the West but held steady in the populous South. Year-on-year, single-family housing starts saw a 2.6% decrease in December.
(Housing Starts and Building Permits Chart, Source: LSEG DataStream)
The optimistic Trump administration policies, projecting major tariffs together with mass deportations of undocumented persons, could yet challenge the ground gained. Economists warned that these may drive commodity prices up further and increase worker shortages, meaning it is very doubtful that gains in the housing and manufacturing sector will be sustained.
Disclaimer
Comments, news, research, analysis, price, and all information contained in the article only serve as general information for readers and do not suggest any advice. Ultima Markets has taken reasonable measures to provide up-to-date information, but cannot guarantee accuracy, and may modify without notice. Ultima Markets will not be responsible for any loss incurred due to the application of the information provided.
Ultima Markets provides the foremost competitive cost and exchange environment for prevalent commodities worldwide.
Start TradingMonitoring the market on the go
Markets are susceptible to changes in supply and demand
Attractive to investors only interested in price speculation
Deep and diverse liquidity with no hidden fees
No dealing desk and no requotes
Fast execution via Equinix NY4 server