Durable Goods Orders Fall 1.7%

Durable goods orders fell 1.7% in February, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The downturn followed a revised 4.7% gain in January that was smaller than originally reported, Commerce said.

Excluding transportation orders, bookings declined 2.6%.

Economists had forecast orders to rise by 0.7%, and to fall 0.3% excluding transport orders, Bloomberg reported.

Durable goods are those meant to last for several years, including large items like refrigerators and air conditioners. Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.