Sales of previously occupied U.S. homes accelerated in September as declining mortgage rates and a pickup in available properties on the market encouraged home shoppers. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that existing home sales rose 1.5% last month from August to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.06 million units. That's the fastest sales pace since February. Sales jumped 4.1% compared with September last year. The national median sales price climbed 2.1% in September from a year earlier to $415,200. The housing market has been in a slump since 2022, when mortgage rates climbed from historic lows. Affordability remains a daunting challenge for most aspiring homeowners following years of skyrocketing home prices.
Drugstore chains are still trying to find enough employees to put a stop to temporary pharmacy closures. More than a year ago, a rush of vaccines, virus tests and a busy flu season overwhelmed many drugstores. The stores have made improvements. Major chains now routinely close pharmacy counters for lunch. They're dangling signing bonuses and raising pay. They also are spreading out workloads. Experts say more customer patience and bigger changes may be needed. One says there isn't a pharmacist shortage. He says there's a shortage of pharmacists who want to work in high-stress environments.
