Keeping Track ...

Home sales in February

Sales of existing homes in the US declined 0.4 percent in February. Analysts cited rising interest rates for the steep drop, but there are also indications that last year's robust consumer spending may be slowing down.

That prospect bodes well for tomorrow's meeting of the Federal Reserve. Few experts think the Fed will raise interest rates, since the economy shows little signs of inflation or overheating.

Meanwhile, fighting in Kosovo made financial markets jittery, evidenced by a 200-plus point drop in the Dow in the middle of last week.