The Australian Bureau of Statistics said, the total number of building approvals issued in Australia was down a seasonally adjusted 8.4% on month in December, coming in at 13,995. That missed forecast for an decrease of 0.5% following the 9.8% decline in November.

On a yearly basis, building approvals tumbled 22.5% - again missing expectations for a fall of 10.9% following the 32.8% plummet in the previous month.

TOTAL DWELLING UNITS

• The trend estimate for total dwellings approved fell 4.1% in December.

• The seasonally adjusted estimate for total dwellings approved fell 8.4% in December.

PRIVATE SECTOR HOUSES

• The trend estimate for private sector houses approved fell 1.1% in December.

• The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector houses fell 2.2% in December.

PRIVATE SECTOR DWELLINGS EXCLUDING HOUSES

• The trend estimate for private sector dwellings excluding houses fell 8.5% in December.

• The seasonally adjusted estimate for private sector dwellings excluding houses fell 18.8% in December.