Purchases of previously owned U.S. homes rose more than projected in May, a sign the industry is stabilizing after a weather-depressed quarter. Sales climbed 4.9 percent to a 4.89 million annualized rate, the most since October, after a 4.66 million pace in April, figures from the National Association of Realtors showed today in Washington. The median forecast of 70 economists in a Bloomberg survey called for a rise to 4.74 million. Prices increased at the slowest pace in more than two years. A bigger supply of houses, smaller price gains, rising employment and still-low borrowing costs may encourage more Americans ... (full story)