Overview:  Existing home sales fell 9.6% in February as new home sales dropped 16.9%.  Durable orders were down 0.9% in February.  GDP growth for the 4^th quarter was revised upwards to 3.1%.  Initial jobless claims fell 5,000 to a level of 382,000 for the week ended 3/19.

• Existing home sales fell 9.6% to an annual rate of 4.88 million units in February. The median home price of $156,100 represents a 5.2% decrease from a year ago, and a nearly nine-year low.
• New home sales fell 16.9% to a record low (since data began in 1963) annual rate of 250,000 units in February.  
• Durable orders fell 0.9% in February.  Excluding transportation, orders were down 0.6%.
• GDP growth for the 4^th quarter of 2010 was revised upwards to an annual pace of 3.1%. The upward revision, from a second estimate of 2.8% (the original advance estimate was 3.2%), was primarily due to upward revisions to private inventory investment and nonresidential fixed investment.  Exports were revised downwards.
• Initial jobless claims fell 5,000 to 3825,000 for the week ended March 19^th.