September Factory Orders Fall 2.5%

U.S. factory orders fell 2.5% in September, the Commerce Department said Tuesday.

The downturn followed a revised 4.3% decline in August that was more than the 4% originally reported.

Economists had forecast a 0.8% decline, Bloomberg reported.

Excluding transportation orders, which tend to be volatile, bookings fell 3.7%, the biggest drop on record, Commerce said.

Durable goods orders, which make up about half of factory orders, rose 0.9%, while non-durables orders fell by 5.5%, the most in two years.
 
The trucking industry relies on factory orders and shipments for much of its business.