U.S. HOUSING STARTS HIT FIVE-MONTH HIGH U.S. residential construction rose to a five-month high in December, with housing starts up 6.2% to an annual pace of 1.4 million homes, beating expectations. • Broad gains: Both single-family homes and apartments saw increased starts. • Building permits: Rose 4.3% to 1.45 million, the highest since March, though single-family permits slipped slightly. • Drivers: Builders boosted production amid lower borrowing costs and confidence despite excess inventory.(*Walter Bloomberg)