Durable Goods Orders Rise 1.9% in May

Durable goods orders rose 1.9% in May, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The increase followed a 2.7% slump in April that was less than the 3.6% drop originally reported.

The May gain compared with analysts’ forecasts of a 1.5% decrease, Bloomberg reported.

Orders excluding transportation equipment 0.6% in May following a 0.4% gain the previous month.

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.