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New home prices weaken in Canada* q: v6 F5 m% l% y
Canwest News Service
" V4 p) k8 n6 {4 @4 J: @3 ePublished: 7:48 am
* _( {5 I1 S4 y' b6 ROTTAWA - Prices for new homes in Canada rose by 5.2 per cent in April from a year earlier, the slowest pace in more than two and a half years as a weakening Alberta market continued to pull down the national average, Statistics Canada said Wednesday.
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+ U+ F) p8 p4 Y8 p# E& V; FApril's rate was down from a 6.1 per cent year-on-year increase in March, the federal agency said. On a monthly basis, prices were unchanged in April from March.' F4 {: z- d; Y X. M" ~
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"This was the third consecutive month in which the increase has decelerated, and the slowest rate of growth since September 2005, when year-over-year prices rose by 4.9 per cent," it said., \8 v$ G$ b7 n! H
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In contrast to strong markets in Saskatchewan and parts of Atlantic Canada, home prices in oil-rich Alberta showed more signs of cooling.
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: t9 k! @& i) j& U( f+ L"Edmonton and Calgary continued to experience slow market conditions," Statistics Canada said. "Competition among builders has resulted in lower prices being offered to prospective homebuyers."
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2 r7 a2 B# t6 y/ ~9 SPrices in Calgary edged up 2.5 per cent in April from a year earlier, compared to a 5.3 per cent year-over-year increase in March.1 I; m3 I" X/ a! N( B+ Q
- h& S. @1 I$ f; e% j! @* M3 FIn Edmonton, the year-on-year rate slowed to 8.1 per cent - the ninth straight month of decelerated growth.
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Meanwhile, the Saskatchewan housing market continued to heat up in April. Prices in Saskatoon led the country for the 12th straight month, jumping 43.7 per cent from a year earlier - but down slightly from a 46.2 per cent year-on-year gain in March.
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2 P2 {- W# z |. u5 B& j# MPrices in Regina were up 34 per cent in April from the same time in 2007, compared to a 27.8 per year-on-year increase in March.
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In Newfoundland and Labrador "a strengthening economy, coupled with increased material and labour costs, has contributed to record increases," Statistics Canada said.
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+ n. G# C) d1 z0 bPrices in St. John's rose 16.3 per cent in April, up from the year-over-year increase of 12 per cent in March.
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Nova Scotia also saw strong gains, with prices in Halifax increasing 11.3 per cent from a year earlier, although that was down slightly from a record year-on-year gain 12.8 per cent in March.
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' _, x! B& Z3 q x# X"The report adds to the growing body of evidence that indicates that the Canadian housing sector may be coming off the boil," said Millan Mulraine, economics strategist at TD Securities.
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+ `9 W2 c- [$ C/ |4 ~. V3 ?4 U$ A"Similar behaviour has also been observed in the price of existing homes. However, it is important to note that the Canadian housing sector remains in reasonable shape and a U.S.-style correction in home prices remains highly unlikely."' X2 H* V( C, a
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© Canwest News Service 2008 |
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发表于 2008-6-11 07:40
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