Existing-home sales fell back for the second straight month in May, as only the Northeast region saw an uptick in activity, according to the National Association of Realtors. Total existing-home sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family homes, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, decreased 0.4% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.43 million in May from downwardly revised 5.45 million in April. With last month’s decline, sales are now 3.0% below a year ago and have fallen year-over-year for three straight months.

Wednesday, the Dow was down 42.41 points (0.17%) at 24,657.80, the NASDAQ gained 55.93 points (0.72%) to finish at 7,781.52, and the S&P 500 was up 4.73 points (0.17%) at 2,767.32. The Russell 2000 climbed 13.54 points (0.80%) to 1,706.99, and the Wilshire 5000 increased 78.41 points (0.27%) to 29,024.90.

The price of the 10-year Treasury note decreased 10/32, bringing its yield up to 2.935%. The price of the 30-year Treasury bond fell 25/32, increasing its yield to 3.073%.

ON THIS DATE: In 1788, the U.S. Constitution went into effect when New Hampshire became the ninth state to ratify it. In 1834, Cyrus McCormick patented the first practical mechanical reaper for farming. His invention allowed farmers to more than double their crop size. In 1893, the Ferris Wheel was introduced at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago. In 1939, Lou Gehrig quit baseball due to illness. In 1945, Pan Am announced an 88-hour round-the-world flight at a cost of $700. In 2004, SpaceShipOne, designed by Burt Rutan and piloted by Mike Melvill, reached 328,491 feet above Earth in a 90 minute flight. The height is about 400 feet above the distance scientists consider to be the boundary of space.