Washington, DC, March 24—-Orders for durable goods rose 0.3 percent in February, according to the Commerce Department. Economists had forecast an increase in February of 1 percent.
Durables in January were off a revised 1.1 percent.
Shipments of durable goods dropped 1.6 percent in February, the largest decline in 18 months, after a 0.9 percent gain in January. Inventories increased 0.6 percent. Unfilled orders increased 0.6 percent.
Transportation orders increased 1.6 percent, behind the 32.1 percent increase in civilian aircraft and the 11.3 percent gain in defense aircraft orders. Orders for motor vehicles fell 1.2 percent.
Shipments of transportation goods fell 2.9 percent.
Excluding transportation goods, durable-goods orders sank 0.2 percent.
Orders for core capital goods fell 2.1 percent in February, the biggest drop in four months. Shipments of core capital goods dropped 2.6 percent.
Orders for computers and electronics, excluding semiconductors, increased 1.2 percent. Shipments of electronics dropped 0.9 percent.
