Stocks fluctuate as drop in home sales overshadows upbeat earnings from Apple, eBay, Raytheon
Drop in home sales tugs at stock market
NEW YORK — An unexpectedly large drop in home sales dashed hopes that the economy is patching one its biggest holes. Stocks teetered back and forth Thursday after a 3 percent drop in sales of existing homes in March stirred worries that housing will remain a drag on the economy. Slumping home demand is also hurting banks by making them cautious about extending new loans.


