Aircraft boost US durable goods
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/business/8537117.stm Version 0 of 1. Orders for US durable goods rose by 3% in January, the biggest jump in six months, official figures have shown. Analysts had expected orders to be 1.5% higher, but much of the gain came from a jump in bookings for aircraft, the Commerce Department said. Excluding transportation, orders for big-ticket manufactured goods unexpectedly fell, dropping by 0.6%. Durable goods orders are a leading indicator of manufacturing activity and the health of businesses. Orders for commercial aircraft increased by a massive 126% from December. Overall orders for transportation equipment rose 15.6%, although demand for motor vehicles and parts fell 2.2%. "The manufacturing sector is enjoying a healthy rebound, driven by restocking and a sharp turnaround in world trade," commented Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics. |