US DATA: Aug new home sales unch at 288k SAAR, below the 295k rate
expected and following mixed revisions to the previous two months. Sales
were up sharply in NE and West, down sharply in MW and South. Supply of
new homes for sale fell 1.4% to 206k, the lowest since August 1968. As a
result, the months supply fell to 8.6 months at the current sales pace
from 8.7 months in July. The median sales price fell 0.6% to $204,700 in
August, the lowest median price since Dec. 2003, when it was $196,000.