Prior to the market open on Friday, the US Commerce Department announced that Housing Starts fell fort a third straight month in May and has reached the lowest level of new home construction in eight months.
This development, along with a drop in Consumer Sentiment and Building permits, suggest that general construction has declined broadly during 2017 and could be a headwind to economic growth over the second quarter of the year.
This slowdown may have earnings implications for the US divisions of Boral and James Hardie.