Drop in U.S. New-Home Sales Caps the Best Year Since 2008

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Sales of new U.S. homes dropped more than forecast in December as cold weather helped put a chill on an industry at the end of its best year since 2008.

Purchases decreased 7 percent to a 414,000 annualized pace, lower than any estimate of economists surveyed by Bloomberg, Commerce Department figures showed today in Washington. For all of 2013, demand jumped 16.4 percent to 428,000.