US durable goods orders soared by 9.2% mom in March to USD 315.7B, far surpassing expectations of a 1.5% mom gain. The sharp rise was driven almost entirely by a surge in transportation equipment, which jumped 27% mom to USD124.6B, marking a third consecutive monthly increase.
Orders excluding defense also posted a strong 10.4% mom gain to USD 300.0B, highlighting a significant boost in civilian aircraft and related components.
However, the underlying momentum in business investment appeared far less robust. Core orders excluding transportation were flat at USD 191.1B, missing forecasts for a modest 0.2% mom increase.
