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Following a plateau in construction hiring, activity by residential builders slowed slightly in June.

The number of building permits issued to home builders nationwide in June decreased 3.7 percent over the month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 755,000 permits. June’s decrease followed a nearly 8 percent monthly increase in May. Residential construction activity is still much higher than it was a year ago, however, increasing 19.3 percent from June 2011.

Housing starts were on the rise, though, increasing 6.9 percent over May to 760,000, and 23.6 percent over June 2011. That could be a positive sign for the industry despite the slowdown in building permit activity. Likewise, the number of single-family housing starts increased 4.7 percent over May to 539,000.

Privately owned housing completions also increased slightly, rising 2.6 percent from May, and 7.2 percent from June 2011 to 622,000. Single-family housing completions increased 1.3 percent over May to 470,000 homes.