Freddie Mac retained portfolio smaller in December - 2004-01-26
Freddie Mac, the No. 2 U.S. mortgage finance company, declared on Monday the size of its retained, or investment portfolio, diminished for a second month in a row because mortgage securities have been expensive.

The company's book of investment decreased at an annualized rate of 4.1 percent in December to $644 billion, compared with November's annualized decline of 16.1 percent, the company said in its monthly business summary.
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Existing home sales establish a record in 2003: 6.1 million - 2004-01-26
Sales of previously owned homes established a record in 2003 as decades-low mortgage rates proved too attractive for buyers to pass up.

The National Association of Realtors reported Monday that existing-home sales totaled 6.1 million last year, shattering the previous record of 5.57 million set in 2002. Last year's sales represented a 9.6% increase from 2002.
Read the full story at USA Today