"US Existing Home Sales Decline in April Amid Rising Mortgage Rates and Prices"

Existing home sales in the US dropped 1.9% in April to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.14 million, attributed to high mortgage rates and rising prices. The median price of previously occupied homes rose to a record $407,600, while the supply of homes increased but remains low. Sales were brisker at the high end of the market, with a surge in homes priced at $1 million or more, and a third of sales going to first-time buyers. Economists suggest that relief for the housing market could come from a potential Federal Reserve interest rate cut later this year.