Durable Goods Orders Decline 0.8%

Durable goods orders fell 0.8% in March, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The increase followed a revised 2.1% gain in February that was smaller than originally reported.

Economists had predicted a 1.5% decline, Bloomberg reported.

Excluding transportation orders, bookings for goods meant to last several years fell 0.6%, Commerce said.

Durable goods include large items such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.