Durable Goods Orders Fall in February

Washington, DC, March 24, 2011 -- Orders for U.S. durable goods in February fell the most in four months, the Commerce Department said.

New orders for products designed to last three years or more fell 0.9%. Monthly orders minus the volatile transportation sector dropped 0.6%.

Economists  had expected orders to rise by 1.5% overall and by an even stronger 2.5% minus transportation.

Orders have now declined in four of the past five months.