U.S. Durable Goods Up 2.9% in August on Aircraft

U.S. durable goods orders unexpectedly rebounded 2.9% in August to $312.1 billion, reversing a revised 2.7% decline in July and topping estimates. The gain was led by transportation equipment, which rose 7.9%; military aircraft orders jumped roughly 50% and commercial aircraft also increased, with Boeing reporting 26 orders in August versus 31 in July. Core capital goods orders excluding aircraft—a key proxy for business equipment spending—rose 0.6%, while shipments of those core goods fell 0.3%, suggesting a more moderate pace of equipment investment. Economists say part of the rise likely reflects higher prices and tariff-related front‑loading rather than pure volume growth, but the report nonetheless offers a tentative sign of resilience in U.S. manufacturing investment.