WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- Despite a credit crunch that has driven world central banks to slash interest rates, the National Association of Realtors reported Wednesday that an index of sales contracts on previously owned U.S. homes rose 7.4% in August from the prior month. The index, which is considered a leading indicator of existing home sales, was up 8.8% from the prior year. In August pending home sales rose in all four regions, with a gain of 18.4% in the West, 8.4% in the Northeast, 3.6% in the Midwest and 2.3% in the South. The July pending home sales index was revised to a decline of 2.7% from a prior estimate of a 3.2% fall. It's unclear to what extent contract activity will be impacted by the credit disruptions, said Lawrence Yun, NAR's chief economist.
