US durable goods orders rose by 0.7% in April, surpassing the expected -0.8%, marking the third consecutive monthly increase. Transportation equipment led the rise with a 1.2% gain. Excluding transportation, orders were up 0.4%, and shipments increased by 1.2% month-on-month. However, these figures can be volatile, as evidenced by last month's preliminary 2.6% gain being revised down to 0.8%.
US factory orders rose 0.4% in April, marking the fourth increase in the past five months, led by transportation equipment. Excluding that sector, orders were down 0.2%. Durable-goods orders rose 1.1% in April, while nondurable-goods orders fell 0.1%. Orders for nondefense capital goods, excluding aircraft, rose a revised 1.3% in April, led by computers and machinery.
Durable Goods Orders in the US rose by 3.2% in March to $276.4 billion, surpassing the market expectation for an increase of 0.8%. Transportation equipment led the increase, rising by $8.1 billion or 9.1% to $97.4 billion. The US Dollar Index remained under pressure despite the upbeat data, losing 0.5% on the day at 101.35.
