U.S. home prices increased in July, with the S&P Cotality Case-Shiller 20-City Composite rising 2.47% from a year earlier, compared with 2.1% in June. The S&P Cotality Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index rose 1.9% annually, up from 1.6% in June. Chicago led price gains among the tracked cities for a fifth consecutive month, followed by New York and Cleveland, while Seattle recorded the steepest decline. Home prices nevertheless remained in a period of real-term declines because inflation outpaced nominal price growth for the 14th consecutive month.