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US new home sales at 16-year low | |
(about 18 hours later) | |
Sales of new homes in the US fell more than expected in March to their lowest level since late 1991. | |
Sales fell 8.5% from February to a seasonally adjusted 526,000 homes, according to the Commerce Department. | Sales fell 8.5% from February to a seasonally adjusted 526,000 homes, according to the Commerce Department. |
The median price of a home was down 13.3% from March 2007, which is the biggest fall since July 1970. | The median price of a home was down 13.3% from March 2007, which is the biggest fall since July 1970. |
Sales were down in all regions of the country, with the biggest falls coming in the north-east of the country, where sales declined by 19.4%. | Sales were down in all regions of the country, with the biggest falls coming in the north-east of the country, where sales declined by 19.4%. |
In other economic news, the Commerce Department said that orders for manufactured items such as fridges and washing machines from US factories fell 0.3% in March. | In other economic news, the Commerce Department said that orders for manufactured items such as fridges and washing machines from US factories fell 0.3% in March. |
It means that so-called durable goods orders have fallen for three months in a row, which has not happened since 2001. | It means that so-called durable goods orders have fallen for three months in a row, which has not happened since 2001. |
But there was some better news, with the Labor Department announcing that the number of newly laid-off workers claiming unemployment benefit fell 33,000 last week to 342,000. | But there was some better news, with the Labor Department announcing that the number of newly laid-off workers claiming unemployment benefit fell 33,000 last week to 342,000. |
The figure had been expected to rise. | The figure had been expected to rise. |
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