Existing home sales climbed 2.2% in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.24 million, according to the National Association of Realtors, the strongest pace since February 2024. Economists polled by Bloomberg expected existing home sales to hit a pace of 4.2 million in December.

U.S. stocks are drifting near a record on Thursday as Wall Street’s recent rally loses some momentum. The S&P 500 was down 0.1% in early trading after pulling to the edge of its all-time high Wednesday following its sixth gain in seven days.

President Trump's first week in office has brought a barrage of executive orders and tariff talk, but investors appear to be shrugging off the uncertainty. The Cboe Volatility Index, the widely followed fear gauge that trades under the ticker VIX,