Orders for US-made durable goods slumped 4.8% in April to post their first decline since January, the Commerce Department said this afternoon.
Economists expected a fall of only 0.5% in April for orders for goods such as planes, machinery and electronics. March orders had risen 6.6%.
The April slump was led by a 12.7% fall in transport orders, including a 32.2% dive in aircraft orders following strong rises in February and March. Car orders were down 1.6%.
Excluding the transport sector, durable goods fell 1.1% after rising 3.5% in March. Only orders for metals and electrical equipment increased last month.
