President Joe Biden’s housing secretary nominee, Marcia Fudge, has told senators that her first priority if confirmed would be to defend the millions who have missed mortgage or rent payments because of lost earnings since COVID-19. So reports the Associated Press.

The U.S. economy wrapped up its worst year since the end of World War II with a 4% seasonalized and annualized growth rate in the fourth quarter, matching analyst forecasts. So reports CNN.

After a steep fall in November, new home sales increased in December to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 842,000, according to Commerce Department data. So reports the Associated Press.