Durable Goods Orders Rise for Third Month

Durable goods orders rose for a third straight month in February, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The 0.5% increase followed a revised 3.9% increase in January that was higher than first reported.

Excluding transportation equipment orders, which tend to be volatile, orders rose 0.9%.

The boost was led by a surge in demand for commercial aircraft and higher demand for machinery and metals.

Economists had forecast orders to increase 0.6%, Bloomberg reported.

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.