By Paul Vieira

OTTAWA--Canadian housing starts declined in December from the previous month, although in line with market expectations. The previous month's data were revised higher.

Housing starts for December came in at a seasonally adjusted annualized rate of 228,279 units, an decrease of 12.8% from a revised 261,152 units in the previous month, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corp. said Monday. Market expectations were for starts to come in at 230,000, according to economists at Bank of Nova Scotia.

CMHC upgraded November's starts data by roughly 6% versus the previous estimate.

The trend measure for December, or a six-month moving average of the monthly seasonally adjusted annual rate of housing starts, was 239,052 units in December, an increase from 236,334 units in the previous month.

CMHC said starts in urban markets fell 12.2% in December, with declines in the multifamily segment accounting for the bulk of the drop.

Write to Paul Vieira at paul.vieira@wsj.com

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

01-18-21 0909ET