neal wolin, thank you for your time. >> tom: sales of previously owned homes unexpectedly dropped to a seventh-month low last month as the industry struggled to overcome rising unemployment and foreclosures. existing home sales decreased eight-tenths of a percent from a month earlier, according to the national association of realtors. it was the third-straight monthly drop. meantime, mortgage applications jumped 15.5% last week. the mortgage bankers association says that's the biggest increase in four months, helped by a flood of refinancing applications. >> tom: mortgage lender wells fargo will pay $85 million to settle civil charges that it steered borrowers into high- cost, subprime loans. it's the largest fine ever imposed by the federal reserve in a consumer-enforcement case. wells fargo did not admit or deny wrongdoing as part of the settlement. the bank agreed to compensate borrowers who were pushed into higher-priced loans or whose income was exaggerated. >> susie: meantime, help is on the way for small banks and small businesses. the u.s. treasury said today it's giving $214