Builder confidence in the market for newly built single-family homes rose two points to 70 in May after a downwardly revised April reading on the NAHB/Wells Fargo Housing Market Index (HMI). This is the fourth time the HMI has reached 70 or higher this year.

"The solid May report shows that builders are buoyed by growing consumer demand for single-family homes," said NAHB Chairman Randy Noel. "However, the record high cost of lumber is hurting builders' bottom lines and making it more difficult to produce competitively priced houses for newcomers to the market."