ECONOMY

Home Sales Drop: Home sales fell 4.4% in California and 6.1% nationwide last month as severe winter weather kept buyers indoors. The California Assn. of Realtors said sales in the state were made at a 416,840-unit annual rate in February, down from the revised 435,820 rate in January and 8.1% below year-earlier levels. Sales were made at a 3.55-million-unit annual rate nationwide, down from a 3.78-million rate the month before but up 2.6% from 1992, the National Assn. of Realtors said.