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WASHINGTON: New orders for US manufactured durable goods rose 1.0 percent in September, the second rise in three months as the sector stabilises amid recovery from recession, official data showed on Wednesday.
The rise followed a revised 2.6 percent decline in August and was in line with the consensus analyst forecast.
Manufacturing has been leading the US recovery from the worst recession since the Great Depression and the data suggested the overall upward trend would continue to expand economic growth.
However some analysts have pointed out the manufacturing upturn largely reflects the rebuilding of factory inventories instead of growing consumer demand.
Durable goods - items likely to last at least three years, such as autos and computers - represent a key segment of the manufacturing sector.
"For now at least the upswing is still solidly in place led by manufacturing and we do not expect a reversal," said Robert Brusca of FAO Economics.
The trend would continue "despite some recent waffling of consumer sentiment," he added.
The Commerce Department said that new orders for durable goods were down 17.4 percent in September from the year before.
Excluding the transportation sector, where orders can vary widely from month to month, new orders rose 0.9 percent in September after falling 0.4 percent in August.
Excluding defence new orders increased 0.5 percent after a 2.6 percent drop the prior month. - AFP/de
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