And The Surprise Is What Again?

Sales of new homes fell. This is reportedly a surprise. Apparently, we're supposed to believe that the 'surprise' is not actually that they fell, but that they fell in December. (See... if sales are up the first eleven months of the year, then they're supposed to go up the last month of the year too— or somehow the balance of nature collapses.)

The good news is that sales of existing homes remain up. The information is the mortgage lenders are reportedly getting ready to start laying off staff. And the surprise here is supposed to be what again?