Core durable goods orders in the United States rose 0.9% in March 2026 compared with the previous month, slightly above February’s upwardly revised 0.8% increase. The data, updated on 29 April 2026, highlight a modest but steady month‑over‑month improvement in business investment in longer-lasting, non-defense capital goods excluding aircraft.
On a month-over-month basis, the March reading indicates that firms continued to expand orders for core durable goods at a slightly faster pace than in February 2026, when orders also grew but at a lower 0.8% rate versus January. The back-to-back gains point to ongoing resilience in underlying demand for capital equipment at the close of the first quarter, an important signal for the broader U.S. economic outlook.
With both February and March showing positive sequential growth, the data suggest that core investment activity retained momentum rather than slipping back after the earlier increase. Market participants will be watching subsequent releases to assess whether this gradual strengthening in core durable goods orders can be sustained in the coming months.
