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US Building Permits Mean a Lot. And Here’s Why

Adam Lienhard
Adam
Lienhard
US Building Permits Mean a Lot. And Here’s Why

Building permits in the US are official authorizations granted by the local government. In this article, you will learn why this economic event is important for your trading.

What are the building permits?

Building permits allow individuals or organizations to construct, renovate, or make significant changes to various types of properties, such as residential homes or commercial buildings.

Building permits serve as a legal requirement to ensure compliance with zoning regulations, building codes, and safety standards. This helps to maintain the overall safety and quality of structures in the community.

Building permits is a crucial economic indicator that measures current demand in the real estate market and predicts the future performance of the construction industry. It aims to gauge the strength of the national housing market and the state of the economy in general. 

The housing market plays a vital role in understanding the geographical objectives of large-scale investments. The report provides both country-level and location-specific information, which helps identify the local areas that are driving the economy and those that are holding it back. This information can be used by the government to spread expansion to surrounding areas or stimulate local economies by redirecting government investments as needed. 

Additionally, the construction industry, being a large-scale sector, provides insights into the progress of private sectors. For instance, the decline in US building permits in 2006 signaled the forthcoming economic recession, which eventually became the Great Recession in history. This trend continued until 2009 when the global economy started to recover from the crisis.

Why are they influential?

Building permits are considered an important indicator in the economic calendar for a few reasons. First of all, they offer insight into construction activity levels in the economy, which can contribute to economic growth and job creation.

The number of building permits issued for residential properties, including single-family homes or apartment buildings, is closely monitored as an indicator of the health of the housing market. An increase in permit issuance suggests a rise in demand for housing, while a decline may indicate a slowdown in the real estate sector.

The construction industry is closely connected to other sectors of the economy. Building permits can serve as an indicator of economic trends and investor confidence. Strong permit data is usually associated with positive economic conditions, while a decline in permits may indicate economic weakness.

Building permits are a leading economic indicator. They reveal the intentions of builders and developers, providing insights into future construction activity. This information can be used to give an early indication of potential future trends in construction spending and investment.

Overall, building permits offer valuable information about construction activity, the housing market, and the overall health of the economy. Analysts, policymakers, and investors closely monitor building permit data to assess economic trends and make informed decisions.

How to use building permits in trading?

Building permits can be used as a leading economic indicator if you monitor and analyze them regularly. Here’s how building permits can be used as a leading economic indicator:

➡️ Monitoring building permits over time reveals trends. Consistent increases suggest sustainable construction growth and economic strength.

➡️  Current building permits can be compared to previous periods for changes in economic activity. An increase in permits suggests an improvement, while decreases indicate a slowdown.

➡️  To gain a more detailed insight, building permits can be analyzed by sub-sectors. Tracking the number of permits for individual housing, commercial buildings, public facilities, industrial projects, and commercial projects helps to identify sectors that are experiencing growth or decline in economic activity. This data can be used to gain a better understanding of the economic trends and to make informed decisions accordingly.

➡️ When building permits exceed economic expectations, it indicates improved market optimism and economic activity.

➡️ Building permits can impact various sectors, including employment, construction, and real estate.

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