Washington, Rajab 12, 1437, Apr 19, 2016, SPA -- U.S. housing starts fell more than expected in March, and permits for future home construction dropped to a one-year low, the government reported Tuesday, suggesting a deceleration in the housing market in line with signals of a sharp slowdown in economic growth in the first quarter. The Commerce Department said groundbreaking on new homes plunged 8.8 percent to an annual rate of 1.09 million units last month, the lowest level since October. Starts of single-family housing projects-the largest segment of the market-fell 9.2 percent in March to a 764,000-unit pace, the lowest since October. Housing starts in the volatile multi-family segment fell 7.9 percent to a 325,000-unit pace. Building permits-a gauge of future construction activity-fell 7.7 percent to a 1.09 million-unit rate last month, the lowest level since March 2015. Permits for the construction of single-family homes decreased 1.2 percent in March, while apartment building permits plunged 18.6 percent. The March decline in housing starts pointed to a slowdown in housing activity and mirrors other data including business spending, trade, and retail sales that have indicated economic growth stalled in the January-March quarter. The economy has been hurt by a strong U.S. dollar and weak global demand, which have limited exports. Lower oil prices also are a negative factor, cutting profits of energy firms and causing sharp drops in spending on capital projects. Still, housing-market fundamentals remain healthy amid a strong labor market, which is increasing employment opportunities for young adults. --SPA 18:39 LOCAL TIME 15:39 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/w