Gold price near high after U.S. housing starts fall 2.6%, building permits fall 2.7% in August

(Kitco News) - Gold prices are trading near session highs this morning after the latest data showed the U.S. housing market delivering a weaker-than-expected performance last month.Housing starts fell 2.6% in July to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.275 million units, the Commerce Department announced on Thursday. The data was worse than expected as economists looked for a rise to 1.310 million units. July’s number was also revised down to 1.309 million units.