Durable Goods Orders Fall in March

Washington, DC, April 25, 2012 -- Durable goods orders fell sharply in March, largely because of less demand for commercial jets, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.

Orders also fell in most categories. The increase in orders for February was also revised lower.

Orders overall sank 4.2% in March, a bigger decline than forecast. Economists had expected orders for durable goods to decline by a seasonally adjusted 2.9%.

The government also revised orders for February to show a 1.9% increase compared to an original reading of a 2.4% gain.

Excluding the volatile transport sector, whose bookings can swing sharply from month to month, new orders fell by a smaller 1.1%.