13.4% plummet sales of new homes in U.S.

The recent recovery of the housing market in the United States received a setback with the publication of the July new home sales , which plummeted unexpectedly played their worst mark in nine months , showing that the increase in mortgage rates is moderating industry momentum .

The Commerce Department reported that sales fell 13.4 percent - its biggest decline in three years - at an annual rate of 394,000 units in July , which was lower than the forecast of 490,000 .

Although the sales increased 6.8 percent annual rate, compared with the same month of 2012 , and while the average property prices surged 8.3 percent to 257 200 dollars , analysts do not hesitate to point out that the numbers are very bad for the sector.

"The figure leaves us in shock , we must wait for the data in the coming months ," she added Doug Duncan, chief economist at Fannie Mae in Washington , for whom sales still suggest that the sector's recovery is steady but not robust .

Data simultaneously weaken the expectation that the U.S. Federal Reserve will begin to reduce their rate of bond purchases in September.

"The rise in mortgage rates is having an impact on the property market ," confirmed Scott Brown, chief economist at Raymond James in St. Petersburg , Florida.

Mortgage rates have risen sharply since May on expectations that the Fed will start soon cut its program of monetary stimulus.