Orders for durable goods in the U.S. took an unexpected hit in January, falling by 6.1%, exceeding economists' predictions of a 5% decline. The decline was attributed to a significant drop in orders for Boeing passenger planes. Excluding the volatile transportation sector, new orders experienced a milder decrease of 0.3% last month, Marketwatch reported.
Despite the overall decline, key measures of business investment remained stable, with core orders edging up by 0.1% in January, providing insight into the underlying performance of businesses. Commercial plane orders took a notable hit, plunging by 59%, reflective of Boeing's cyclical business patterns.
In addition, carmakers witnessed a slight 0.4% decline in orders, consistent with the usual softening at the start of a new year after a strong final month in sales. On a positive note, shipments of core manufactured goods, excluding defense and transportation, increased by 0.8% in January, contributing to a more optimistic outlook for business equipment investment, Reuters reported.
Market reactions were modest, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average and S&P 500 experiencing slight declines in Tuesday trades. Analysts remain cautiously optimistic, citing robust customer spending and the potential for lower interest rates later in the year, which could stimulate demand and ease borrowing for companies.
The focus now turns to the coming months to gauge the trajectory of industrial recovery and its broader impact on the U.S. economic landscape.
