WASHINGTON — New orders for durable goods fell $1.5 billion, or 0.8%, on a seasonally adjusted basis in September after declining a revised 0.1% in August, the Commerce Department reported Wednesday.
The September drop was the largest since June 2011, when new orders for durables fell 1.1%.
Orders excluding transportation rose 1.7% after falling a revised 0.4% in August. The September gain was the highest since March, when orders excluding transportation rose 2.6%.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters provided median estimates of a 0.7% decline in total orders, a 0.4% increase excluding transportation, and a 0.5% increase in nonmilitary capital goods orders, excluding aircraft.
Nonmilitary capital goods orders excluding aircraft rose 2.4% in September after rising a revised 0.5% the previous month.
Shipments for nonmilitary capital goods excluding aircraft fell 0.9% after rising a revised 3.1% in September.
Unfilled orders for nonmilitary capital goods excluding aircraft rose 1.4% after gaining a revised 0.3% in August.
