The US Commerce Department reported that new home sales in June rose 1.6% to 628,000 units, above analysts' forecast of 609,000 units and higher than May's 618,000 units. This marks the first increase in three months, supported by substantial builder discounts that helped offset the impact of still-high mortgage rates and weak consumer confidence. The median price of a new home fell 2.7% to 398,300 dollars, while inventory declined 3.2% to 485,000 units, putting the months' supply at 9.3 months.