Australian residential building approvals rose 8.4 per cent to 11,424 units in November.

This compares to an upwardly revised 10,539 units in October, seasonally adjusted.

In the year to November, building approvals were down 18.9 per cent, the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) said on Tuesday.

Economists’ forecasts had centred on a 6.0 per cent rise in approvals in November.

Approvals for Nov-Oct Year ago (adjusted)

Total dwellings 11,424 10,539 14,085

Priv excluding houses 3,841 3,308 5,646

Priv sector houses 7,584 7,232 8,439