Pending sales of previously owned homes in the United States crept up as expected in December, a survey showed on Tuesday.
The National Association of Realtors said its Pending Home Sales Index climbed 1.0% to 96.6, after dropping sharply in November. The association also revised its figure for November to -16.4% from the already staggering -16%.
The rise in the index, which is based on contracts signed in December, was in keeping with economists' forecasts.
U.S. stock markets were slightly up following the release of the data: The Dow Jones Industrial Average was up 0.37%, the S&P 500 index rose 0.52% and the Nasdaq Composite Index was up 0.25%.