When trying to figure out which way the real estate winds are blowing, it helps to look at the numbers.Challenging home sales figures may be even worse than they appear, it's feared, and demand for new construction might lag longer than hoped.

A new home goes up in Palo Alto, Calif. Builders have yet to see a turn in the housing market after the worst year for new-home sales in half a... View Enlarged ImageThe National Association of Realtors' widely reported data show existing-home sales fell 5% in 2010 to 4.9 million units. The group said an accelerating pace at the end of the year was promising. [Read the full article]

The name Sensata Technologies (ST) might not ring an immediate bell, but chances are you're familiar with the company.Sensata makes customized sensors and controls for use in automotive, aircraft, home, industrial, military and telecommunications systems.The company's gear could be in the car you drive, the house you live in and the business where you work. Its sensors and controls can be found in products made by BMW, Boeing (BA), Caterpillar (CAT), Samsung Electronics and Volks-wagen, among other familiar brand names. [Read the full article]

Time Warner Cable (TWC) took heat this month when the National Advertising Review Board urged the telecom services provider to withdraw ads claiming its network offered fiber-optic capability.The NARB investigation followed complaints from competitor Verizon Communications (VZ), which advertises services delivered over a FiOS, or fully fiber-optic system.The NARB panel noted in its Feb. 9 decision that while the networks of most telecommunications providers employ fiber-optic "backbones," few employ the technology over the "last mile" connecting the providers' networks to individual homes — a crucial differentiator in performance. [Read the full article]

The deep-water drilling permit freeze has kept companies and workers in limbo for the past 10 months. But pressure is building on the Obama administration to OK new activity in the Gulf of Mexico and other offshore sites.The U.S. government froze new deep-water drilling after last April's BP (BP) Macondo oil well disaster, though the official ban ended in October. Regulators say the industry must show that improved spill containment and prevention systems are available.An industry consortium led by Exxon Mobil (XOM) on Feb. 17 said it had completed the initial version of its containment system. Helix Energy (HLX) is readying another. [Read the full article]