The U.S. Commerce Department announced on Wednesday that the durable
goods orders increased 0.4 percent m-o-m in April, following a downwardly revised
0.6 percent m-o-m advance (from 0.8 percent m-o-m) in March.
Economists had predicted a 0.6 percent m-o-m increase.
According to the report, the April gain was primarily driven by increases
in orders for machinery (+1.0 percent m-o-m), capital goods (+0.7 percent m-o-m)
primary metals (+0.6 percent m-o-m), and transportation
equipment (+0.6 percent m-o-m).
Meanwhile, orders for durable goods excluding transportation rose 0.3
percent m-o-m in April, following an unrevised
1.1 percent m-o-m climb in the previous month, being worse than economists’ forecast for a 0.6 percent
m-o-m advance.
On a y-o-y basis, durable goods orders jumped 10.5 percent, while
orders, excluding transportation, surged 8.6 percent.