U.S. existing home sales unexpectedly fell in April despite a temporary drop in mortgage rates and increased supply, and could remain lackluster this year amid rising economic uncertainty. Home sales slipped 0.

Sales of previously occupied US homes fell in April, as elevated mortgage rates and rising prices discouraged prospective home buyers during what’s traditionally the busiest time of the year for the housing market.

Existing home sales dropped 0.5% last month from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million units, the National Association of Realtors said Thursday. The sales decline marks the slowest sales pace for the month of April going back to 2009. March’s sales pace was also the slowest for that month going back to 2009.

Previously owned homes were sold in April at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4 million, below consensus estimates that called for a rise to 4.1 million.

Sales of new US single-family homes unexpectedly increased in April as builders lowered prices to lure buyers, but rising mortgage rates and an uncertain economic outlook remain constraints for the housing market.

Home sales fell for the second straight month in April, dropping to their slowest pace for the month since the global financial crisis more than 15 years ago. Existing-home sales slipped 0.5% from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of four million homes,