Housing starts tumble from nine-year high

After posting the strongest reading since 2007 in October, housing starts, or groundbreaking on new construction projects, plunged a surprise 18.7 percent according to the Commerce Department. That translates to an annual rate of 1.09 million units. Permits, a gauge of future intent to build, was down a more mild 4.7 percent. All four regions of the country saw a decline. Mutli-family construction plunging 45 percent. Despite November's drop, economists say the housing market remains on solid ground even with mortgage rates hitting two-year highs.