81.   Despite a drop in interest rates and a surge in home sales nationwide, California buyers remained scarce in September.

82.   Depressed home sales have hurt the construction industry, and have reduced purchases of furniture, home electronics and materials for renovations.

83.   Despite a remarkably robust national housing market, the pace of home sales in the Bay Area has slowed dramatically.

84.   Despite months of falling corporate profits, declining business fixed investment and generally sluggish economic performance, new and existing home sales continued to generate strong numbers.

85.   Difficulties finding homeowners insurance had been delaying mortgage closures on home sales in the Bay Area and elsewhere around the state.

86.   Do economists still think easing will occur next month after surprisingly strong new home sales in May?

87.   Ed Albers, president of the association, noted that statewide home sales have increased during four of the last five months.

88.   Donald Fine, chief market analyst at Chase Asset Management, noted that a drop in home sales had been expected, though not to the extent reported.

89.   Elsewhere, department store and discount store sales were slow, and home sales showed signs of losing momentum.

90.   Elsewhere in the economy, retail sales were strong in September, and so were industrial production, home sales, consumer borrowing and auto sales.