HOUSING CONTRACTS DIP; STILL AT NOVEMBER RECORD

The number of Americans who signed contracts to buy homes declined last month, but was still a record high for November. The National Association of Realtors said Wednesday that its index of pending sales fell 2.6% to 125.7 in November, down from October’s revised reading of 129.1. An index of 100 represents the level of contract activity in 2001. It was the third straight monthly decline. Contract signings are still 16.4% ahead of where they were last year, thanks to a big summer rebound.