Durable goods orders jumped 3% in January, the Commerce Department said Thursday.
The gain followed a revised 1.9% increase in December. Excluding transportation equipment orders, which tend to be volatile, orders fell 0.6%
The transportation boost was led by a 126% jump in demand for commercial aircraft.
Economists had forecast orders to increase 1.5%, Bloomberg reported.
Durable goods include large items such as refrigerators and air conditioners. Trucking is a major beneficiary of durable goods manufacturing, hauling both components and finished goods.
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