New orders for U.S.-manufactured durable goods rose 7.9% in April 2026 from the prior month to $346 billion, following an upwardly revised 1.3% increase in March and far surpassing market expectations for a 3.5% gain. This was the strongest monthly advance since May 2025, driven primarily by surging demand for transportation equipment (+21.5%), especially nondefense aircraft and parts (+165.9%), as well as for capital goods (+21%).
Orders also increased for fabricated metal products (+3.5%), primary metals (+1.9%), and machinery (+0.5%), while declining for computers and electronic products (-0.7%). Excluding transportation, durable goods orders rose 1.1%, matching March’s pace. Excluding defense, orders jumped 8.1%, rebounding from a 0.3% drop in the previous month.
However, orders for nondefense capital goods excluding aircraft—a key gauge of business investment plans—fell 1.1% in April, after a 3.9% increase in March.
