Durable Goods Orders Rise 3.3% in April

Durable goods orders rose 3.3% in April, the Commerce Department said Friday.

The increase was larger than economists’ median forecast of a 1.5% increase, Bloomberg News reported, and followed a 5.9% drop in March.

Bookings for non-defense capital equipment, excluding aircraft, rose 1.2% following a 0.9% increase in March.

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.