Factory Orders Decline 1.5%

Factory orders fell 1.5% in March, led by a decline in aircraft output, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

The decline followed a revised 1.1% gain in March that was below the 1.3% increase originally reported.

Economists had forecast a 1.6% decline for March, Bloomberg reported.

Transportation orders fell 13% for the month, while orders excluding transportation equipment rose less than 0.1%.

The trucking industry relies on factory orders and shipments for much of its business.