Durable Goods Orders Slip in May

Durable goods orders, products designed to last three or more years, slipped for a second month, falling 1.1 percent in May, according to the U.S. Commerce Department. Core capital goods orders, a category that tracks business investment, declined for the first time this year, inching down 0.2 percent.

Airline orders drove the decline with commercial aircraft falling 12 percent and defense aircraft plummeting 31 percent. Automotive orders improved for the second month, gaining 1.3 percent. Orders excluding transportation rose 0.1 percent in May.