Sales increased just 0.2% after a sharp fall of 1.6% in December
The unemployment rate fell, though, and average hourly pay rose
Ground breaking jumped 18.6%, led by single-family houses
U.S. benchmark index has gained 309% since bottoming out in march 2009
European Central Bank joins global push to help economy
The reading beat a consensus forecast
Growth forecasted to be slightly below 3%
But the Berkshire Hathaway CEO praised his potential successors after releasing his annual letter to shareholders
Year-over-year consumer prices rose only 1.6% in January
Fourth-quarter growth could be revised down from an already paltry 0.2%