WASHINGTON - The Commerce Department's U.S. Census Bureau today released June 2012 data on new residential construction. Housing starts in June 2012 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 760,000, up 6.9 percent from May’s revised estimate and up 23.6 percent from June 2011. Starts of multifamily structures increased 12.8%, and single-family starts rose 4.7%. Building permits for the month were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 755,000, down 3.7 percent from the revised May rate but up 19.3 percent from one year earlier. 

U.S. Secretary of Commerce John Bryson issued the following statement today on the release of the February 2012 U.S. International Trade in Goods and Services report (PDF) by the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau and Bureau of Economic Analysis. U.S. goods and services exports in February 2012 were up 0.1 percent from January 2012 to reach a record $181.2 billion. In addition, record highs were seen in U.S. exports of total services ($53.2 billion), and capital goods exports ($43.2 billion).

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s Census Bureau today released retail sales data for February 2012. Retail and food services sales were $407.8 billion, up 1.1 percent from the previous month and up 6.5 percent from one year ago. This was consistent with private-sector forecasts. Excluding autos, retail and food services sales in February exceeded private sector expectations, coming in at $335.3 billion -- up 0.9 percent from January and up 6.4 percent from February 2011.

WASHINGTON – The Commerce Department’s U.S. Census Bureau today released retail sales data for January 2012. Total retail sales grew 0.4 percent from December 2011 to January 2012.  Excluding automobiles, January 2012 retail sales grew 0.7 percent. 

The U.S. Commerce Department’s Bureau of Economic Analysis today released the advance estimate of gross domestic product (GDP) for the fourth quarter of 2011.  Real GDP rose 2.8 percent at an annual rate, up from 1.8 percent in the third quarter. Real GDP for 2011 overall grew 1.7 percent. The increase in real GDP reflected growth across several key economic sectors.  Real exports of goods and services increased 4.7 percent in the fourth quarter, the same increase as in the third.