U.S. housing starts drop to nine-month low in June

New U.S. home-building activity fell to a nine-month low in June and permits for new construction projects slipped as well, the latest indication of a cooling housing market as surging mortgage rates reduce affordability. $LGI Homes (LGIH.US)$ $UMH Properties Inc (UMH.US)$ $Mid-America Apartment Communities Inc (MAA.US)$ $Nasdaq Composite Index (.IXIC.US)$ $Dow Jones Industrial Average (.DJI.US)$ $S&P 500 Index (.SPX.US)$