Durable Goods Orders Jump 3%

Durable goods orders jumped 3% in January, the Commerce Department said Thursday.

The gain followed a revised 1.9% increase in December. Excluding transportation equipment orders, which tend to be volatile, orders fell 0.6%

The transportation boost was led by a 126% jump in demand for commercial aircraft.

Economists had forecast orders to increase 1.5%, 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.