US durable goods orders rose 1.9% in April, the Commerce Department said today, in a positive sign for manufacturing after a slump in March.
The report said orders for durable goods - those expected to last three years or more - rose to $200.3 billion last month. The rise was led by demand for planes, cars and computers.
Orders for transportation goods jumped 8.2%, accounting for all of the increase in total orders. Excluding transportation goods, orders fell 0.2% in April.
The agency revised upward its estimate of March durable goods orders to show a drop of 1.6% instead of a 2.3% drop. The report on durable goods is seen as a key indicator of manufacturing, and a sign of economic momentum.
