U.S. home builders file most requests for housing permits since 2008

U.S. home builders requested more permits last month than in any month since September 2008, according to a Commerce Department report, the Associated Press reported. The increase in permits is a “good sign for broader economic activity,” said Jonathan Basile, director of economics at Credit Suisse. The total represented a 4.5 percent increase. Despite the increase, housing permits would nearly need to double to be at “healthy” levels. [AP via Miami Herald]