Private sector house approvals in Australia fell 4.2% month-on-month to 10,199 units in July 2026, confirming preliminary estimates and reversing a 0.8% increase in the previous month. This marked the first decline since April, reflecting weaker housing approval activity across all states. South Australia recorded the sharpest drop (-10.7%), followed by Queensland (-5.5%), Victoria (-4.1%), New South Wales (-4.0%), and Western Australia (-0.1%). Meanwhile, approvals for private-sector dwellings excluding houses slipped 0.4% to 7,119 units, pointing to softer momentum across the broader residential construction sector. On a yearly basis, private house approvals were 6% higher than in July 2025.