Durable goods orders declined for the first time in five months in February because of geopolitical uncertainties and the anticipation of the Federal Reserve’s first interest rate hike since 2018. With multiple rate increases expected this year, we expect investment spending for the entire year to ... READ MORE >
durable goods orders
Consumer confidence sours but capital spending holds strong
The final estimate for consumer sentiment in February came in slightly higher than the advance estimate, rising to 62.8 from 61.7 previously, yet remaining at a decade low. Concerns over elevated inflation, rising interest rates and higher gas prices all took a toll on confidence, according to a new ... READ MORE >
Surprises in jobless claims and goods trade make up for decline in durable goods orders
Encouraging economic news came from the government's early release of data on Wednesday: Jobless claims dropped to 199,000 last week, the lowest since 1969, while the advance goods trade deficit narrowed significantly to $82.9 billion in October, led by a sharp rise in exports. The jobs data was a ... READ MORE >
Chart of the day: Signs of strength in durable goods orders
Durable goods orders fell by 0.4% in September after a strong gain of 1.3% in August, driven by transportation orders—vehicles and nondefense aircrafts—which declined by 2.3% on the month, according to Commerce Department data released Wednesday. But even with this decline in transportation orders, ... READ MORE >