U.S. Durable Goods Orders Rise 2.6% in February

Click here to write a Letter to the Editor.
Orders for long-lasting goods from U.S. factories rose 2.6% in February, the fourth such increase in five months, according to a report by the Commerce Department.

Durable goods orders, or orders for products made to last at least three years, totaled $215.8 billion. The increase followed a revised 8.9% increase in January, Commerce said Friday.

When adjusted to remove the value of transportation-related goods, orders fell 1.3%, the larges drop since July. The decline in ex-transportation orders followed a 1.6% increase in January.

Orders for transportation equipment rose 13% after a 29% jump the previous month, led by a 53% increase in aircraft orders. Orders for motor vehicles fell 3.3% during February.

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