And we also have pending home sales coming out. And for that, we'll head to Diana Olic. Diana.>> Well, Rick, pending home sales in October rose 1.9% from September. That's a nice beat. The street was actually looking for flat.Sales though were down4% from October of last year. And this count is based on signed contracts. So, people out shopping in October and inking deals when mortgage rates were falling from their recent highs.So, that drop may have helped push demand. Of course, rates came back up in Nove ...

Group 1 - Pending home sales in August rose 4% from July and were 3.8% higher year-over-year, indicating strong market performance [1] - Mortgage rates in August were slightly lower than in July, contributing to the increase in signed contracts for home sales [2] - A survey of realtors indicated that 19% expect an increase in buyer traffic over the next three months, up from 16% the previous month [3] Group 2 - Inventory in August fell for the first time since the beginning of the year, suggesting a tightening market [4] - Sales increased in three out of four regions, with the Midwest showing the strongest performance due to lower home prices [4]

Core Insights - Home contract signings increased by 4% in August, surpassing economists' expectations of a 0.4% gain, indicating a potential recovery in the housing market due to lower mortgage rates [1][5] - The Pending Home Sales Index reached 74.7, with a year-over-year increase of 3.8%, suggesting a gradual improvement in buyer activity [1][3] - The Midwest region experienced the highest growth in contract signings, with an 8.7% increase since July and a 6.7% rise over the past year, attributed to its relative affordability [6] Mortgage Rates - The average 30-year fixed mortgage rate has decreased from approximately 6.7% to around 6.3%, which is believed to be facilitating more homebuyers entering the market [5][6] - Lower mortgage rates are seen as a key factor enabling more homebuyers to sign contracts, according to the National Association of Realtors Chief Economist [5] Market Conditions - The housing market is currently in its third consecutive year of decline, with home sales projected to reach a 30-year low, although there is optimism that falling mortgage rates may stimulate activity in the fall [3][5] - Contract signings showed varied performance across regions, with increases in the Midwest, South, and Western US, while the Northeast saw a decline [1][3]