Durable Goods Orders Jump 4.9%

Durable goods orders jumped 4.9% in July, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Excluding transportation equipment orders, which tend to be volatile, orders rose 0.8%.

The gain topped economists’ forecasts of a 3% rise, Bloomberg reported. Orders fell 2.5% in June.

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.