Ahead of the Tape
Housing Prices Have a New Cliff to Climb</br></br>Don't forget housing.</br></br>Markets are intensely focused on what Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke will say about the possibility of more central-bank bond buying when he speaks Friday in Jackson Hole, Wyo. Also interesting, though, will be the emphasis he places on housing.</br></br>During last year's speech, Mr. Bernanke highlighted how housing was holding back the economic recovery. Underscoring this, the central bank in January sent to Congress a housing "white paper" outlining possible ways to stimulate activity.</br></br>Housing has improved considerably since then. The question is how durable the recovery will prove.