FX.co ★ US Durable Goods Orders Unexpectedly Rise, Core Orders Drop

In February 2025, new orders for manufactured durable goods in the United States rose unexpectedly by $2.7 billion or 0.9% from the previous month, reaching a total of $289.3 billion. This increase followed a revised upswing of 3.3% in January and surpassed predictions of a 1% decline. The primary driver of this growth was transportation equipment, which rose by $1.4 billion or 1.5%, particularly in motor vehicles and parts (4%) and defense aircraft and parts (9.3%). Additionally, there were gains in orders for machinery (0.2%), fabricated metal products (0.9%), computers and related items (1.1%), as well as electrical equipment, appliances, and components (2%). However, orders for capital goods fell by 1.5%. Notably, orders for non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft, an important gauge of business investment plans, dropped by 0.3% in February. This was the first decrease in four months, following a revised 0.9% increase in January, and was below the expected 0.2% rise. The ongoing uncertainty about tariffs is likely causing businesses to be cautious about increasing spending on equipment.