U.S. NEW-HOME SALES SOAR TO HIGHEST IN DECADE

Sales of new U.S. homes jumped last month to the highest level since October 2007, a sign that Americans — unable to find existing homes — are turning to new construction. Damage from last month’s hurricanes may have also inflated the data. New home sales leapt 18.9% in September to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 667,000, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.