Case-Shiller 20-city Home-price Index Almost Unchanged In September

U.S. home prices were just about unchanged in September, ticking down .03%, as the spring and summer sales market wrapped up, according to S&P/Case-Shiller's 20-city composite index released Tuesday. Among 20 tracked cities, prices fell in nine, rose in nine, and were unchanged in the remaining two. After seasonal adjustments, home prices among the 20 cities rose 0.3% in September -- the strongest result in six months -- compared with a 0.1% decline August. Meanwhile, annual growth slowed down, with year-over-year home prices rising 4.9% in September-- the slowest pace since October 2012 -- compared with annual growth of 5.6% in August. Economists polled by Dow Jones Newswires had expected year-over-year price growth to slow to 4.8% in September. Annual home-price growth hasn't been in the double digits since April, and slower appreciation may lure buyers. Through September home prices were about 16% below a 2006 peak.