US Commerce Department

New homes sales unexpectedly fell 3.6 percent in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 402,000, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Wednesday, as the end of the $8,000 federal tax credit for first-time home buyers neared. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had expected September new...

Two tough reports for the U.S. economy and stock market were released on Friday: September saw the loss of 263,000 jobs, far worse than expected, and factory orders decreased 0.8 percent in August, the U.S. Commerce Department announced. It was the first factory orders decline in five...

New residential construction may be showing signs of new life. U.S. housing starts unexpectedly rose for the second month in a row, increasing 3.6 percent in June, the U.S. Commerce Department announced Friday (pdf). Housing starts rose to a 582,000-unit, seasonally adjusted, annual rate in June....