September Factory Orders Rise 2.1%

.S. factory orders rose 2.1% in September, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

September’s increase, driven by rising aircraft orders, follows a revised 0.3% decline in August.

The gain was less than the 4% increase expected by economists, Bloomberg reported.

Excluding transportation equipment, orders fell 2.4% after August’s 0.7% decline, Commerce said.

Durable goods orders, which make up just over half of all orders, rose 8.3% after no change in August. Durables had previously been reported as rising 7.8%, Bloomberg said.