New Home Sales at 7-Month Low; Manufacturing Stabilizes
New U.S. single-family home sales fell in June to their lowest level in seven months and May's sales were revised sharply lower, in what appeared to be a minor setback for the housing market recovery.
Other data Friday showed manufacturing activity nudged up in July after slowing for three straight months.
You never want to see the data regress, but we remain optimistic that we're still on a long-term upward trajectory.
New home sales dropped 6.8 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 482,000 units, the lowest level since last November, the Commerce Department said. May's sales pace was revised down to 517,000 units from the previously reported 546,000 units.
"You never want to see the data regress, but we remain optimistic that we're still on a long-term upward trajectory," said Tom Wind, vice president of home lending at EverBank in Jacksonville, Florida.
Economists had forecast new home sales, which account for 8.1 percent of the market, to be unchanged last month. Sales were up 18.1 percent compared to June of last year.
Prices for U.S. government debt rose after the data and the dollar pared gains against a basket of currencies. U.S. stock indexes were trading lower.
