Privately-owned housing starts in August 2023 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1,283,000. This is 11.3 percent (+/- 8.3%) below the revised July 2023 estimate of 1,447,000.

The advance international trade deficit in goods increased to $91.2 billion in July from $88.8 billion in June as imports increased more than exports.

Total U.S. Business Applications were 466,163 in August 2023, down 0.9% from July 2023.

U.S. total business end-of-month inventories for July 2023 were $2,538.1 billion, virtually unchanged (+/- 0.1 percent)* from last month. U.S. total business sales were $1,828.4 billion, up 0.6 percent (+/- 0.1 percent) from last month.

U.S. retail and food services sales for August 2023 were $697.6 billion, up 0.6 percent (+/-0.5 percent) from the previous month.

July 2023 sales of merchant wholesalers were $648.1 billion, up 0.8 percent (+/- 0.4 percent) from last month. End-of-month inventories were $902.3 billion, down 0.2 percent (+/- 0.2 percent)* from last month.

U.S. selected services total revenue for the second quarter of 2023, adjusted for seasonal variation but not for price changes, was $5,270.8 billion, an increase of 1.5 percent (+/- 0.4 percent) from the first quarter of 2023 and up 8.7 percent (+/- 0.9 percent) from the second quarter of 2022.

Manufacturing corporations' seasonally adjusted after-tax profits were $206.1 billion for the second quarter of 2023, down $21.8 (+/- 0.6) billion from first quarter of 2023.

Seasonally adjusted after-tax profits for retail corporations with assets of $50 million and over were $52.5 billion for the second quarter 2023 (the 3 months ending July 31, 2023), up $18.9 (+/- 1.6) billion from first quarter 2023 (the 3 months ending April 30, 2023).

The nation's international trade deficit in goods and services increased to $65.0 billion in July from $63.7 billion in June (revised), as imports increased more than exports.

New orders for manufactured goods in July, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased $12.7 billion or 2.1 percent to $579.4 billion.

Total construction activity for July 2023 ($1,972.6 billion) was 0.7 percent (+/-0.5 percent) above the revised June 2023 ($1,958.9 billion).

July 2023 end-of-month inventories were $784.1 billion, up 0.3 percent (+/- 0.2%) from last month.

July end-of-month inventories were $903.1 billion, down 0.1 percent (+/- 0.2 percent)* from last month.

New orders for manufactured durable goods in July, down following four consecutive monthly increases, decreased $15.5 billion or 5.2 percent to $285.9 billion.

Sales of new single-family houses in July 2023 were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 714,000. This is 4.4 percent (+/- 12.8%)* above the revised June 2023 estimate of 684,000.

The homeownership rate in the second quarter 2023, 65.9 percent, was not statistically different from the rate in the second quarter 2022. The rates in the Northeast, Midwest, South, and West were not statistically different from the second quarter 2022 rates.

The rental vacancy rate in the second quarter 2023, 6.3 percent, was higher than the rate in the second quarter 2022. Compared to the rates in the second quarter 2022, the second quarter 2023 rates in the Northeast, South, and West were higher, and the rate in the Midwest was not statistically different.