Economy
March 24, 2021
Durable Goods Orders Break Streak of Gains in February
Written by Sandy Williams
After nine months of gains, orders for durable goods surprised economists with a 1.1% decline in February to $254 billion. The U.S. Census Bureau report on Wednesday indicated core capital goods–non-defense orders minus aircraft and a measure of future investment–dipped 0.8% after gaining 0.6% in January.
The decline in new orders was led by a 1.6% decline in transportation equipment. Orders for motor vehicles and parts plummeted 8.7% after inching downward 0.9% the previous month. Commercial aircraft had a welcome respite, soaring 103.3% after Boeing received more than 80 aircraft orders.
