Federal officials are aiming to improve disaster assistance.

I'm Novisafa with a Marketplace Minute.

The Federal Emergency Management Agency is changing rules to simplify and speed up aid for those impacted

by natural disasters.

With insurance companies raising premiums in some areas, FEMA is making more people eligible

for help from the federal government.

Existing home sales declined 1% in December, capping a year that saw them at their lowest level

since 1995, but the National Association of Realtors says the median sales price reached a

record $390,000 amid a dearth of homes on the market.

The European Union says Apple has pledged to grant third-party digital wallet

providers access to its mobile payment system at least in Europe this would resolve

in any trust case. Congress passed a stop-gap government funding measure narrowly avoiding a partial government

shutdown that would have started this weekend.

Funding now runs until early March as negotiators try to craft your long bills to fund federal

agencies.

I'm Novasafo with a Marketplace Minute.