Rates held steady Friday following the release of mixed economic data. This morning, December Housing Starts declined 10% from the 5-year high seen in November to an annual rate of 999,000 units, which was slightly above forecast. However, Building Permits, a leading indicator, fell short of expectations. Industrial Production rose 0.3%, matching the consensus. Consumer Sentiment fell to 80.4. A reading of 83.0 had been expected. Stocks were little changed. No other key data will be released today.