Upcoming figures for home sales, durable goods under scrutiny

US STOCKS rose for the eighth straight week as optimism about a grand bargain between the US and China and consistently low Treasury yields offset surprisingly weak economic data.

This week, the rally could stall if factory orders and used-home sales data confirm that US growth is slowing, or if there is any reversal of the tentative progress in trade negotiations.

Retail sales in the US last December contracted by 1.2 per cent, the most marked retreat since 2009, according to a delayed report from the Commerce Department.

There was also a marked increase in the weekly and monthly unemployment tallies that track layoffs.

Investors shrugged off the reports becau…