US factory orders rose 4.8% in April 2026 from the previous month to $662.7 billion, beating market expectations of a 4.6% increase and building on an upwardly revised 1.8% gain in March. It was the strongest monthly rise in 11 months.
Durable goods orders jumped 8% to $346.2 billion, in line with other survey evidence, as customers front‑loaded purchases amid concerns that the war in the Middle East could drive prices higher. Transportation equipment orders surged 21.6% to $131.1 billion, led by a 165.9% spike in nondefense aircraft orders to $36.79 billion.
Orders also increased for fabricated metal products (3.5% to $44.5 billion) and primary metals (2% to $29.5 billion), while they declined for computers and electronic products (-0.7% to $29.7 billion). Nondurable goods orders rose 1.4% to $316.5 billion.
