Home Sales Probably Rose Toward 2009 High: U.S. Economy Preview

Home sales probably rose in April to the highest level in more than three years, extending gains in residential real estate that are giving the U.S. expansion a lift, economists said before reports this week.

Combined purchases of new and existing residences climbed to a 5.41 million annualized rate last month, the highest since November 2009, according to the median forecast of economists surveyed by Bloomberg ahead of figures from the National Association of Realtors and the Commerce Department. Other data may show orders to manufacturers improved after slumping in March by the most in seven months.