Durable Goods Orders Fall Unexpectedly in August
urable goods orders unexpectedly fell 0.5% in August, marking the first back-to-back decrease since 2004, the Commerce Department reported Thursday.
The decline, which follows a revised 2.7% drop In July, suggests that companies may be reluctant to buy new equipment or bolster inventories in the face of a slumping housing market, Commerce said.
xcluding transportation equipment, orders were down 2%, the biggest drop since July 2005. The decrease follows a 0.5% gain in June.
Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.
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