US Home-Price Gains Picked Up in January, Fueled by Tight Supply

Home-price growth in the US accelerated slightly in January as buyers fought over a tight supply of listings on the market.

A national gauge of prices rose 4.1% from a year earlier, according to data from S&P CoreLogic Case-Shiller. That was more than the 4% annual increase in December.

While the market typically gets quieter in the winter months as cold weather keeps people from shopping, buyers willing to forge ahead have had to contend with a dearth of listings.

There are signs that the inventory crunch is starting to ease. In the four weeks ended March 16, new listings ...