Durables Orders Up 5.9% in July

Washington, DC, August 24, 2007--Durable goods rose 5.9% in July, after a revised 1.9% gain in June, according to the Commerce Department.

Excluding transportation orders, durable-goods orders rose 3.7%, the most since August 2005.

Economists had forecast an increase in durable of only 1%. Excluding transportation equipment, orders were forecast to rise 0.6%.

Orders for commercial aircraft increased 12.6% in July after rising 37.1% a month earlier. Demand for autos rose 9.8%, after dropping 0.7% the prior month.

Non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft rose 2.2%, after decreasing 0.1% in June. Unfilled orders goods rose 1.5 %.

Inventories of all durable goods rose 0.1%, after no change in June.

Orders for defense goods rose 4.9% in July after rising 2.3% in June.