Overview

• The Commerce Department reported a 9.2% increase in durable goods orders for March, the largest monthly gain in years.
• Transportation equipment orders rose 27%, with commercial aircraft bookings skyrocketing by 139%, largely benefiting Boeing, which received 192 orders in March compared to 13 in February.
• Excluding defense, durable goods orders climbed 10.4%, but non-defense capital goods orders excluding aircraft edged up just 0.1%, reflecting weak underlying business investment.
• The Federal Reserve's Beige Book attributed the surge to companies accelerating purchases to avoid higher costs from newly imposed U.S. tariffs on imports.
• The broader economic outlook remains cautious, with economists warning the spike may be temporary and driven by transient factors rather than sustained growth.