Whole Foods Market Inc.’s (WFMI) $565 million purchase of Wild Oats Markets Inc. (OATS) doesn’t violate federal antitrust law and can proceed, a federal judge ruled, declining the Federal Trade Commission’s request for a preliminary injunction. Whole Foods agreed to acquire Wild Oats in February. The FTC sued in June, saying consumers would be harmed by decreased competition.

HOME CONSTRUCTION

Construction of new homes fell to the lowest level in more than a decade in July as builders continued to struggle with the steepest housing slump since 1991. The Commerce Department reported Thursday that construction of new homes and apartments dropped 6.1 percent last month to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 1.38 million units.