U.S. durable goods orders jumped sharply in March, marking the biggest gain since July 2024, but the high single-digit headline spike hides a mixed picture that casts doubt on whether factory momentum was firing on all cylinders ahead of Trump’s April 2 tariff move.
New orders for manufactured durable goods climbed by 9.2% to $315.7 billion in March, rising for a third consecutive month and far surpassing expectations for a modest 2% gain, according to data released Thursday by the U.S. Census Bureau.
The outcome marked the strongest increase in over eight months and the second-largest monthly gain over the past five years.
Transportation Orders Takes Off, But With A Caveat
Transportation equipment orders soared 27%, or $26.5 …