the numbers us new home sales jumped 124 to a seasonallyadjusted annual rate of 744000 in november from a revised 662000 in the prior month the government reported thursday analysts polled by the wall street journal had forecast newhome sales to occur at a seasonallyadjusted annual rate of 766000 in november the data are often revised sharply sales in october were initially reported at 745000 big picture the housing sector remains robust but off the highs seen last year sales are 14 below last year’s level although the sector is expected to continue to be strong the prospect of higher mortgage rates should keep activity from getting redhot economists said market reaction stocks spx djia were higher at the open on thursday on continued optimism that the omicron variant would not detail the global economy