Durable Goods Orders Rise 1.8%

Durable goods orders rose 1.8% in May, matching April’s increase, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The increase was higher than economists’ forecasts, Bloomberg reported. April’s gain was originally reported as a 1.9% increase.

Excluding transportation orders, bookings for goods meant to last several years rose 1.1%, following a 0.4% rise last month.

Automobile orders fell 8.1% after a 1.2% increase in April.

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.