Home, Apartment Completions Up: The number of...

Home, Apartment Completions Up: The number of new homes and apartment buildings completed in April was up 7% after falling 9.8% in March, but the figure was well below year-ago levels, the Commerce Department said. The April increase left U.S. housing completions at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.55 million units, 6.4% below the year-ago rate. Despite the upward blip in April, rising mortgage rates have slowed building around the country, economists said.