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KIEV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's leadership on Wednesday praised a Russia-financed bailout as a guarantee of financial stability, while opposition activists and critics claimed the deal will deepen the country's economic troubles and increase dependence on Moscow.

The pace of housing starts was 29.6 percent above the November 2012 rate. Building permits, an indicator of potential future housing construction, fell 3.1 percent in November from a five-year high in October. The report included housing starts data for September and October, which had been delayed by the October 1-16 government shutdown. "Housing starts for the three months ending in November were above our expectation and provide further evidence that the recovery in US housing should prove resilient to the rise in mortgage rates observed in recent months," said Michael Gapen of Barclays Research.

Budget airline Norwegian Air Shuttle said on Wednesday it had ordered two new Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners in a vote of confidence in the aircraft, despite a series of initial problems. Norwegian did not reveal how much they had paid for the aircraft, which can accommodate up to 20 percent more passengers over longer distances and with less fuel consumption than the Boeing 787-8 planes the company currently operates on its long-haul routes.