US durable goods orders increase in March, jobless claims jump

US new orders for manufactured durable goods increased 2.6 percent in March for the second consecutive month reaching USD 234.8 billion, it was announced here Thursday. This increased followed a 2.1 percent February increase. The Department of Commerce indicated that excluding transportation, new orders increased 2.0 percent. Excluding defense, new orders increased 1.8 percent. Transportation equipment, also up two consecutive months, led the increase, USD 2.8 billion or 4.0 percent to USD 74.1 billion. Furthermore, nondefense new orders for capital goods in March increased 7.1 percent to USD 80.5 billion, while shipments increased 1.7 percent to USD 76.2 billion. Defense new orders for capital goods in March increased 21.6 percent to USD 9.3 billion, whereas unfilled orders decreased 0.2 percent reaching USD 156.0 billion. Meanwhile, the Department of Labor indicated that in the week ending April 19, unemployment initial claims was 329,000, an increase of 24,000 from the previous week's revised level. The four-week moving average was 316,750, an increase of 4,750 from the previous week's unrevised average of 312,000