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December 20, 2005 8:40 AM, EST

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.S. new housing starts rose 5.3% in November, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

The rise to a 2.123 million unit annual rate, up from a revised 2.017 million rate in October, was greater than the 2.02 million economists had forecast, Bloomberg reported.

uilding permits, an indicator of future construction, rose to 2.155 million from 2.103 million.

ncreased construction can mean more business for flatbed trucking companies that haul building materials. Also, in the case of home construction, dry van freight can see an increase in demand for the delivery of household appliances and furniture.

Housing starts rose in all four U.S. regions, Commerce said.