Washington, DC, October 26, 2006--Durable goods rise 7.8% in September, the biggest jump in six years, as orders for new aircraft nearly tripled, according to a report from the Commerce Department.
Outside transportation, however, new orders rose just 0.1%.
The increase in new orders for durable goods far exceeded the 2.9% gain expected by economists.
The increase was almost entirely due to a jump in orders booked by Boeing, which recorded 175 orders in September compared with 30 in August, and from demand by the Pentagon for defense capital goods.
Transportation orders rose 27.6%, the biggest increase in six years. Orders for civilian aircraft zoomed 183%, while orders for motor vehicles sank 6.1%.
