New data released on 4 August 2026 show that U.S. durable goods orders excluding defense strengthened in June, with the month‑over‑month indicator rising to 0.5%. This compares with a 0.3% increase previously reported for the prior month’s change.
The measure, which tracks business demand for long‑lasting manufactured goods while stripping out volatile defense-related orders, suggests a modest pickup in underlying investment activity. On a month‑over‑month basis, the current 0.5% reading reflects a faster pace of growth than the prior 0.3% gain, indicating that non-defense capital spending may be gaining some traction as the second half of 2026 begins.
