MarketWatch (04/24/13) Jeffry Bartash
Orders for large-ticket U.S. goods fell 5.7% in March, primarily due to fewer jetliner bookings, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Economists polled by MarketWatch had expected orders to decline 3.2%. Without the volatile transportation numbers, orders declined 1.4%. However, orders for core capital goods, a key indicator of private-sector business investment, ticked up 0.2% after falling 4.8% in February. Overall, the durable goods report suggests manufacturing activity cooled slightly toward the end of the first quarter.