Home-builders ETF Down After New-home Sales Data

Exchange-traded funds that track home-building stocks fell on Wednesday, after data showed that new-home sales fell 9.4% in July, a steeper fall than had been expected. The SPDR S&P Homebuilders ETF lost 0.9%, while the iShares U.S. Home Construction ETF was down 0.5%. The SPDR fund remains up more than 10% in 2017, although it has dropped 3.5% over the past month. Sales of newly constructed homes were at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 571,000, the Commerce Department said Wednesday. That represented a seven-month low, and it was under the 608,000 pace that had been forecast. The sector was also pressured by Lowe's Companies Inc. , which fell 5.7% in the wake of lower-than-expected results. Home Depot fell 1.5%.