April Durable Goods Orders Fall 4.8%

May 24, 2006 8:45 AM, EDT

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urable goods orders fell 4.8% in April from March, the Commerce Department said Wednesday.

Orders for goods made to last several years previously rose 6.6% in March and 3.5% in February, the department said. Combined gains for the two months were the largest for consecutive months since comparable records began in 1992.

Excluding transportation orders, April durables orders fell 1.1%.

The drop exceeded the overall 0.5% tumble forecast by analysts, Bloomberg reported.

Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.