U.S. new-home construction rebounded by more than expected in January amid strength in single-family starts and a nine-month high for permits, signaling the market is stabilizing thanks to lower mortgage rates.

The U.S. trade deficit widened in 2018 to a 10-year high of $621 billion, bucking President Donald Trump’s pledges to reduce it, as tax cuts boosted domestic demand for imports while the strong dollar and retaliatory tariffs weighed on exports.

U.S. new-home construction in December fell to the lowest since September 2016, as builders held back during a turbulent month for financial markets.

U.S. factory production unexpectedly contracted in January, shrinking the most in eight months on weakness in the automotive sector and indicating a weak start to the year as headwinds including a trade war with China weighed on factories.

The U.S. trade deficit narrowed in November by more than forecast to a five-month low, as imports tumbled by the most in more than two years amid an intensifying trade war.

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits fell last week to the lowest level since 1969, signaling the labor market remains tight despite the partial federal-government shutdown.

A key measure of U.S. inflation was little changed in December while falling energy prices dragged down the broader gauge, giving the Federal Reserve little urgency to raise interest rates soon as it signals a more cautious approach in 2019.

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose to a four-week high at year’s end, amid holidays that tend to make the figures more volatile and a partial government shutdown that may have spurred federal workers to request funds.

Filings for U.S. unemployment benefits rose for the first time in three weeks while remaining near levels that reflect a tight labor market.

Sales of previously owned U.S. homes rose for a second straight month and exceeded forecasts in November, suggesting consumer demand is picking up as price gains moderate amid more generous inventories.