US Pending Home Sales Climbed in February as Mortgage Rates Fell

A "For Sale" sign outside a home in Miami.Photographer: Zak Bennett/Bloomberg

Pending sales of US existing homes unexpectedly rose in February for the first time in three months as buyers took advantage of lower mortgage rates and slower price growth.

An index of contract signings climbed 1.8%, according to National Association of Realtors data released Tuesday. The median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg was for a 0.6% decline.