U.S. NEW HOME SALES FALL IN AUGUST BUT TREND STILL POSITIVE
New U.S. single-family home sales posted their biggest decline in nearly a year in August after soaring to nine-year highs the month before, with analysts saying the trend in sales remains positive. The Commerce Department said on Monday new home sales fell 7.6 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 609,000 units last month. Sales were up 20.6 percent from a year ago. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast single-family home sales falling to an annualized rate of 600,000 units last month. July's sales pace was revised up 5,000 units to 659,000 units.