Durable Goods

WASHINGTON -- In yet another ominous economic pulse-taking, the government reported yesterday that orders to factories making all sorts of long-lived goods from watches to locomotives tumbled 10.5 percent in November, equaling a 32-year record decline established in January of this year.The drop in orders for durable goods was particularly sharp for transportation equipment, but most major industries were weak. The decline pulled order levels back to where they were in early 1988.Analysts called the figures a solid confirmation that the economy has entered recession.

WASHINGTON -- Orders for durable goods fell 0.3 percent last month, the second decline in a row, led by a big drop in the aircraft sector, the Commerce Department reported yesterday. Orders have been up and down for the past few months, but Bart Melek, an economist for BMO Nesbitt Burns, said, "The outlook for capital spending remains positive." Economists expected orders to fall about 0.2 percent. The report had little market impact. Orders for new aircraft plunged 17.9 percent in May, after a 30 percent decline in April, bringing that volatile category closer to normal levels after several months of extraordinary orders to Boeing Co., the large U.S. aircraft manufacturer.

WASHINGTON -- Fresh evidence of a decelerating economy appeared yesterday as a moderate overall rise in new orders for durable goods was accompanied by the fourth consecutive decline in orders for equipment to be used by nonmilitary manufacturers.Orders for durable goods -- items from toasters to helicopters designed to last at least three years -- climbed nine-tenths of 1 percent in May, aided by another double-digit gain in military contracts, Commerce Department figures show.While this advance was somewhat bigger than expected, many analysts regarded the report overall as pointing to a slackening of economic growth.

WASHINGTON -- U.S. new-home sales fell the most in almost 12 years in November and businesses trimmed orders for most types of equipment, suggesting that two areas of strength in the U.S. economy are wavering. Purchases of new homes fell 11.3 percent to an annual rate of 1.245 million units after a record October, the Commerce Department said yesterday. Orders for durable goods excluding commercial aircraft fell 0.6 percent, a third straight drop. Companies are moving slowly to replace depleted inventories, worried that still-high energy prices may cut consumer purchases in coming months.

WASHINGTON -- Buoyed in part by new military orders related to the Persian Gulf buildup, orders to factories for long-lasting goods climbed 4.4 percent in December, the Commerce Department reported yesterday.The increase was somewhat more than expected, but analysts said they found little in the latest figures to support hopes of an economic rebound.Even the rise in military orders, they noted, was from a severely depressed level the month before and was not large enough to provide any more than a nudge to business activity in coming months.

WASHINGTON -- Orders for durable goods fell 0.3 percent last month, the second decline in a row, led by a big drop in the aircraft sector, the Commerce Department reported yesterday. Orders have been up and down for the past few months, but Bart Melek, an economist for BMO Nesbitt Burns, said, "The outlook for capital spending remains positive." Economists expected orders to fall about 0.2 percent. The report had little market impact. Orders for new aircraft plunged 17.9 percent in May, after a 30 percent decline in April, bringing that volatile category closer to normal levels after several months of extraordinary orders to Boeing Co., the large U.S. aircraft manufacturer.

Washington -- Orders placed with U.S. factories for durable goods declined in January for the first time in three months as a drop in demand for aircraft outweighed the biggest jump in orders for computers and other business equipment in 15 years, government figures showed yesterday. Durable goods orders fell 1.3 percent last month after rising 6.3 percent in December, the Commerce Department said. December's gain was revised higher from a preliminary estimate to make it the largest monthly increase in seven years.

WASHINGTON -- Orders for big-ticket goods posted the largest gain in eight months in July, a sign that domestic spending is outweighing reduced overseas demand for U.S.-made products.Orders for durable goods -- items ranging from appliances to computers to commercial aircraft that are expected to be used for several years -- rose 2.4 percent last month, topping June's 0.2 percent increase, the Commerce Department said yesterday. Excluding transportation, durable goods orders rose 3.0 percent in July, the largest gain in nearly a year.

WASHINGTON - U.S. new-home sales soared to a record and factory orders increased in May, giving the economy a boost amid flagging consumer confidence and falling stock prices. The 8.1 percent increase to 1.03 million new homes at an annual rate followed a 3.9 percent April rise, the Commerce Department said yesterday. The higher-than-expected numbers mean 2002 is likely to be the best ever for new-home sales. In addition, orders for durable goods - those that are designed to last three years or more - rose 0.6 percent, the fifth rise in six months.

Orders to U.S. factories for "big-ticket" durable goods plunged 1.7 percent in September, the third decline in the last four months, the government said today.The Commerce Department reported that orders for durable goods -- items expected to last more than three years -- totaled a seasonally adjusted $124.9 billion.Orders had fallen 0.8 percent in August and 3.1 percent in June. They rose 2.7 percent in July largely due to aircraft orders but are down 0.5 percent during the first nine months of 1990 compared to the same period of last year.

U.S. durable goods orders unexpectedly fell 2.8 percent last month, the most in more than two years, leading some economists to pare growth estimates as a pullback in spending spreads from consumers to companies. The decline in bookings for items made to last at least three years was the largest since September 2002 and followed a 0.2 percent drop in February, the Commerce Department said yesterday. The falloff reflected fewer orders for aircraft, cars and machinery. "You are starting to see some evidence that the economy is losing momentum," said Steven Ricchiuto, chief U.S. economist at ABN Amro Inc. in New York, who predicted a drop.

WASHINGTON - U.S. orders for durable goods rose in September for the third time in four months, and sales of new homes unexpectedly increased. Bookings for items made to last at least three years increased 0.2 percent to $195.7 billion, driven by demand for military hardware and business equipment, the Commerce Department said yesterday. Durable goods orders had declined 0.5 percent in August but rose in June and July. Orders for defense hardware soared 27 percent last month, the most since June.

WASHINGTON - Inventories at U.S. wholesalers fell 0.1 percent in April, the first decline in eight months, as demand for pharmaceuticals, imported automobiles and other goods outpaced supplies, the Commerce Department reported yesterday. Wholesale sales rose 0.8 percent in the month, after a 2.9 percent gain in March that was the largest in more than nine years, Commerce said. That brought supplies at distribution centers, warehouses and terminals to a record low of 1.12 months' worth in April.

WASHINGTON - A blockbuster report from the factory sector shows that the U.S. economy is shifting into high gear, portending an end to the period of super-low interest rates, economists said. The Commerce Department said yesterday that U.S. orders for big-ticket durable goods jumped a surprisingly strong 3.4 percent last month after an upwardly revised 3.8 percent gain in February. The orders for long-lasting items such as airplanes, cars and washing machines shattered Wall Street forecasts of a 0.7 percent rise and suggested that the U.S. factory sector is stronger than had been thought.

A weekly briefing on the economic calendar Monday Earnings reports Walgreen, ConAgra, American Health Tuesday Earnings reports Goldman Sachs, Micron, Red Hat Wednesday * Durable goods orders for February. The report measures the dollar volume of orders, shipments and unfilled orders of goods whose intended life span is three years or more. It is considered a leading indicator of manufacturing activity. * New-home sales report indicates the level of new, privately owned one-family houses sold and for sale.

WASHINGTON - U.S. new-home sales soared to a record and factory orders increased in May, giving the economy a boost amid flagging consumer confidence and falling stock prices. The 8.1 percent increase to 1.03 million new homes at an annual rate followed a 3.9 percent April rise, the Commerce Department said yesterday. The higher-than-expected numbers mean 2002 is likely to be the best ever for new-home sales. In addition, orders for durable goods - those that are designed to last three years or more - rose 0.6 percent, the fifth rise in six months.