Daniel Acker | Bloomberg | Getty Images
A 'Sale Pending' sign stands outside a home for sale in Peoria, Illinois.
Contracts to buy previously owned U.S. homes rose sharply in February, reversing the previous month's deep decline, as the volatility of the data continues to make it difficult to parse the strength of the housing market.
The National Association of Realtors said its pending home sales index rose 3.5 percent to 109.1 last month, the highest level in seven months. January's reading was revised to show a 3.0 percent decline, which was deeper than initially reported.
Economists polled by Reuters had forecast contracts rising 1.2 percent last month. Contracts were up 0.7 percent from a year ago.
Regionally, signed contracts climbed 11.4 percent in the Midwest, with more modest gains in the South and West., the Associated Press reported. In the Northeast, the number of contracts dipped 0.2 percent, according to the AP.
Pending sales contracts are a barometer of future purchases. A sale is typically completed a month or two after a contract is signed.
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