A quick look at today’s official economic data through easy-to-read tables.
Housing construction and consumer confidence were both in focus today with the release of June housing starts from the U.S. Census Bureau and the preliminary July Consumer Sentiment Survey from the University of Michigan. Together, these reports offer a snapshot of residential construction activity and how Americans currently view the economy.
National headlines provide the overview. The official data below helps explain what drove today’s results. Rather than relying only on the headline numbers, the tables show where the strongest activity occurred and which parts of the housing market continue to face challenges.
🏠 Housing Starts (June 2026)
| Measure | Annual Rate | Monthly Change |
|---|---|---|
| Total Housing Starts | 1.43 million | +19.0% |
| Single-Family Starts | 895,000 | -0.2% |
| Multifamily Starts (5+ Units) | 534,000 | +30.6% |
| Single-Family Building Permits | 871,000 | -2.4% |
What Stands Out
The overall 19.0% increase in housing starts was driven primarily by a sharp rise in multifamily construction, such as apartments and condominiums. Meanwhile, single-family housing starts were essentially unchanged, and permits for future single-family homes declined, suggesting builders remain cautious in that segment.
😊 Consumer Sentiment (Preliminary July 2026)
| Measure | July | June |
| Consumer Sentiment Index | 54.4 | 49.5 |
Consumer sentiment improved from June and reached its highest preliminary reading since February. Today’s preliminary release did not include detailed age-group results, so no demographic table is included. If official age-based data becomes available in the final release, it will be featured in a future update.
👀 Good Eye Mike Takeaway
At first glance, today’s housing report appears to show a strong rebound in residential construction. Looking a little deeper tells a more nuanced story. Apartment construction accounted for most of the increase, while single-family homebuilding remained relatively flat and future permits edged lower. Consumer sentiment also improved, suggesting Americans are feeling somewhat more optimistic than they were a month ago. As always, one month’s data doesn’t establish a trend, but looking beyond the headline provides a clearer picture of what’s happening beneath the surface.
📚 Official Resources
U.S. Census Bureau – New Residential Construction (Housing Starts & Building Permits)
https://www.census.gov/construction/nrc/
University of Michigan – Surveys of Consumers
https://www.sca.isr.umich.edu/
Thank you for reading Good Eye Mike.
My goal is to present official economic data in a clear, easy-to-read format that helps readers look beyond the headlines. By organizing key information into concise tables and providing links to the original sources, you can explore the data and draw your own conclusions.
Willie and I appreciate every reader.