New orders for long-duration goods rose in the United States in February, driven by a slight rise in aircraft spending, while underlying measures of business spending improved.
Orders for durable goods, which include washing machines, cars and aircraft, rose 1.4 percent in February compared to a decline of 6.9 percent the previous month, according to the Census Bureau. This exceeds expectations for an increase of 1.1 percent.
Excluding transportation, new orders for durable goods rose 0.5 percent from a 0.3 percent decline in January.
New orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, which is a proxy for business investment, rose 0.7 percent in February, up from a downwardly revised decline of 0.4 percent in the previous month.
