By Dan Burns

(Reuters) -Groundbreaking for new U.S. single-family homes and permits for future construction rose in July even as high mortgage rates and economic uncertainty continued to hamper home purchases.

Single-family housing starts, which account for the bulk of homebuilding, increased 2.8% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 939,000 units last month, the Commerce Department’s Census Bureau said on Tuesday. Permits for future single-family homebuilding edged up 0.5% to a rate of 870,000 units.

Overall residential project starts, including apartments, jumped 5.2% to a rate of 1.428 million units and permit issuance fell 2.8% to 1.354 million units. Economists polled by Reuters had estimated housing starts at 1.290 million and permits at 1.386 million.

President Donald Trump’s

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