New orders for manufactured goods surged 1.1% in March, after climbing 1.5% in February, the Commerce Department reported Friday.
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The February increase was revised to 1.5% from the 1.6% first reported.
Economists polled by Thomson Reuters expected a 1.4% increase in March orders.
Excluding transportation, new orders increased 0.6% in March, after gaining an unrevised 0.7% the previous month. Excluding defense, orders grew 0.7%, after growing 1.4% in February.
Durable goods orders rose 2.9% after a 2.3% increase in February, while nondurable goods orders fell 0.6% after a 0.9% rise in February.
