Durable Goods Orders Up 0.3%, But Fall 0.2% Without Transport

March 24, 2005 8:30 AM, EST

U.S. orders for durable goods rose by 0.3% in February, reversing a decline of 1.1% in the previous month, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.

However, if orders for transportation equipment like commercial trucks and aircraft are excluded, the report said that orders for long-lasting goods fell 0.2% last month.

Ex-transport orders for January were revised upward to an increase of 0.9%, Commerce said.

Analysts had expected a larger increase in durables orders, Bloomberg said, but predicted that higher oil prices and rising interest rates might restrain spending in the coming months.

Orders for non-defense capital goods, like machinery, electronic equipment and appliances fell 2.6% during February.

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