Factory Orders Jump in March, Commerce Reports

.S. factory orders jumped 4.2% in March, the biggest gain in 10 months, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

The rise to $419.6 billion followed a 0.4% increase in February. Economists had forecast a rise of 3.7%, Bloomberg reported.

Excluding transportation orders, orders for March rose 2.2%, Commerce said.

Orders for capital goods, a proxy for future business investment, jumped 3.9% after a 0.6% decline. Booking for non-durable goods rose 1.5% after a 3.1% drop the previous month.

The trucking industry relies on factory orders and shipments for much of its business.