MONEY (MSM)

U.S. home prices rise faster in August than July

The S&P/Case Shiller composite index of 20 metropolitan areas gained 5.1 percent in August on a year-over-year basis compared with 4.9 percent in July and was in line with estimates for 5.1 from a Reuters poll of economists. “One result is that a 5 percent price increase in the value of a house means more today than it did in 2005-2006, the peak of the housing boom when the inflation

Weak U.S. business spending plans point to slower economic growth

A gauge of U.S. business investment plans fell for a second straight month in September, the latest indication that economic growth braked sharply in the third quarter. The Commerce Department said on Tuesday non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft, a closely watched proxyfor business spending plans, slipped 0.3 percent last month after a downwardly revised 1.6 percent decline in August. The data was the latest dour news for the manufacturing