U.S. Durable Goods Orders Increase More Than Forecast

(Bloomberg) -- Orders placed with U.S. factories for durable goods rose in November by more than forecast, pointing to resilient consumer spending that’s helping fuel the economy.

Bookings for all durable goods -- or items meant to last at least three years -- increased 2.5% from the prior month, reflecting a sharp rise in aircraft orders.

The value of core capital goods orders, a proxy for business investment in equipment that excludes aircraft and military hardware, fell 0.1% after an upwardly revised 0.9% increase in October, Commerce Department figures showed Thursday.

The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for a 0.7% increase in core capital goods orders and a 1.8% rise in total durables bookings.