AP - HOME SALES SINK: Sales of previously occupied homes fell 3.8 percent last month to an annual pace of 4.81 million homes. That’s the lowest level in six months and far below the roughly 6 million annual sales rate typical in healthy housing markets.

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BusinessWeek - The housing-market bust made Mark Johnson a casualty of the recession, as the downturn drained away the professional mover’s hours. Now, Johnson is counting on training in computerized machine operation to put him at the forefront of the manufacturing-led recovery.

AP - Lower unemployment, bankruptcies and foreclosures in March reduced the nation’s economic stress to its lowest point this year, according to The Associated Press’ monthly analysis of conditions around the country.

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AP - Sales of new homes plummeted in January, and businesses ordered fewer long-lasting goods. But the number of people applying for unemployment benefits has fallen over the past four weeks to the lowest level in two-and-a-half years

AP - A second wave of falling home prices is battering some cities that had escaped the worst of the housing market bust.

Investor’s Business Daily - Meritage Homes and D.R. Horton will see earnings improve as a nascent housing recovery takes hold, Wells Fargo Securities said. It raised its rating on both, saying foreclosures and higher interest rates won’t impact the sector much and profits will likely rise

AP - Rates on fixed mortgages dipped this week after rising steadily over the last two months.

Reuters - As the domestic session opened, 10-year notes were up 13+/32nds on weaker stocks overnight; however, the ADP Employment (Dec) report stunned the market with 297k jobs created versus an expectation of +100k.