Durable Goods Orders Fall 5.7%

Durable goods orders fell 5.7% in March, the biggest decline in seven months, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The decrease was larger than economists’ median forecast of a 3% decline, Bloomberg News reported, and followed a 4.3% gain in February that was smaller than originally reported.

Bookings for non-defense capital equipment, excluding aircraft, rose 0.2% following a 4% decline in February.

Demand for automobiles rose 0.2%, after a 4.7% increase in February. Cars and light trucks sold at a 15.2 million annual rate in March, down from 15.3 million in February, Bloomberg 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.